The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

❧ The Boke of Iosua, whom the Hebrues call Iehosua.

¶ The Lorde courageth Iosua to inuade the lande of promesse: and cōmaundeth hym contynually to rede Deuteronomium.

CAPI. Primo.

AFter the death of Moses [unspec A] the seruaunt of the lorde, it hap∣pened also that the Lorde spake vnto Iosua the Sonne of Nun, Moses minister saynge: Moses my seruaūt is deade. Nowe therfore vp and go ouer Ior∣dan: thou and all this people, vnto the lande the which I gyue vnto the chyldrē of Israel.

All the places that the sooles of youre feete shall treade vpon haue I gyuen you, as I sayde vnto Moses: from the wyldernesse and this Libanon vnto the great ryuer Eu∣phrates: all the lande of the Hethites, euen vnto the great see towarde the goyng downe of the sonne, shall be your cooste. There shal not a man be able to withstande the, all the dayes of thy lyfe. For as I was with Mo∣ses, so wyll I be with the and wyl not fayll the, nor forsake the. [unspec B]

Be stronge therfore and bolde: for vn∣to this people shalte thou deuyde the lande whiche I sware vnto theyr Fathers to gyue them. Onely be thou strong and as bolde as thou canst, that thou mayest obserue and do accordynge to all the lawe, which Moses my seruaunt cōmaunded the. Turne therfrom neyther to the ryght hande, nor to the lefte: that thou mayest do wysely in all thou takest in hande: let not the booke of this lawe de∣parte out of thy mouthe: But recorde therin daye and nyght that thou mayst obserue / & do accordynge to all that is wrytten therin.

For then shalte thou make thy waye pro∣sperous, [unspec C] & then thou shalte do wysely. Haue not I cōmaūded the to be stronge and bolde. and that thou shuldest not feare nor be faynt herted? For I the lorde thy god am with the, whyther so euer thou goest. Then Iosua cō∣maunded the officers of the people, sayenge: Go thorowe the myddes of the hoost, and cō∣maunde the people, sayenge: prepare you vi∣tayles: for after thre dayes ye shal passe ouer this Iordane, to go in and enioye the lande, whiche the Lorde youre God gyueth you, to possesse it. And vnto the Rubenites, Gadites and halfe the trybe of Manasses spake Io∣sua, saynge: Remember ☞ the word, which Moses the seruaunt of the Lorde cōmaūded you, sayenge: the Lorde youre God hath gy∣uen you rest, and hath gyuen you this lande.

Your wyues, youre Chyldren, and youre [unspec D] cattell shal remayne in the lande which Mo∣ses gaue you on this syde Iordane: But ye shall go before your brethren armed, all that be men of war, & helpe them vntyll the lorde haue gyuē your brethren rest, as he hath you, and vntyl they also haue obteyned the land, whiche the Lorde your God gyueth them.

And then shall ye returne vnto the lande of your possessyon and enioye it, whiche lande Moses the Lordes seruaūt gaue you on this syde Iordan towarde the sonne rysynge. And they answered Iosua, saynge: All that thou hast cōmaunded vs, we wyl do, and whyther soeuer thou sendest vs / we wyll go. Accor∣dynge as we obeyed Moses in all thynges, so wyll we obey the: onely the Lorde thy god be with the, as he was w^t Moses. And whoso¦euer he be that doth dysobeye thy mouth, and wyll not herken vnto thy wordes, in all that thou cōmaundest hym, let hym dye: Only be stronge / and of good courage.

¶ Iosua sendeth spyes to Ierico, which were hyd of Rahab

CAPI. II.

ANd Iosua the sonne of Nun sent out [unspec A] of Settim two men to spye secretly, say¦enge: go and vewe the lande / and also Ierico. And they went, and came in to a har∣lots house, named Rahab, and lodged there. And it was tolde the kynge of Ierico, & sayd: Beholde, there came men in hyther to nyght, of the chyldren of Israel, to spye out the coū∣trey. And the kynge of Ierico sent vnto Ra∣hab, sayenge: brynge forth the men that are come to the, and which are entred in to thyne house: for they be come to searche out all the lande. And the woman toke the two men, & hyd them. And sayd thus: in dede there came men vnto me, but I wyst not whence they were.

And aboute the tyme of the shuttynge of [unspec B] the gate when it was darke, the men went out, whyther the men went I wote not: folow ye after them quyckly, for ye shall ouer take them. But she brought them vp to the roofe of the house, and hyd them with the stalkes of flare, whiche she had lyenge abrode vpon the roofe. And the men pursued after them, the waye to Iordan, euen vnto the ferye, and as soone as they whiche pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate: and or euer they were a flepe, she came vp vnto thē vpon the roofe, and sayde vnto the men: I knowe, that the lorde hath gyuen you the lande for the feare of you is fallen vpon vs, and the

enhabyters of the land faynt at the presence of you. For we haue herde, howe the Lorde dryed vp the water of the red see before you when ye came out of Egypt, and what ye dyd vnto the two kynges of the Amorites / that were on the other syde Iordan Sohon, and Og, whiche ye vtterly destroyed. And as soone as we haue herde these thyng{is} (❀ VVe vvere sore afrayde, and) our hertes dyd faynt.

And there remayned no more courage in any man at the presence of you. For the lorde your god, he is the God in heuen aboue, and on the earth benethe.

Nowe therfore (I praye you) sweare vn∣to [unspec C] me by the Lorde that as I haue shewed you mercye, ye shall also shewe mercye vnto my fathers house, and gyue me a true token. And that ye shal saue alyue, both my father, and my mother, my brethren, and my systers, and all that they haue. And that ye shall de∣lyuer ☞ our soules from death. And the men answered her: oure lyues for you to dye, yf ye vtter not this oure busynesse. And when the Lorde hath gyuen vs the lande, we wyll deale mercifully & truely with the. And then she let them downe by a corde, thorowe a wyndowe: For her house was by the towne walle And she dwelt by the towne wall. And she sayde vnto them: get you in to the moun∣tayne, leest the pursuers mete you, and hyde your selues there thre dayes, vntyll the pur∣suers be returned, and then shall ye go youre waye. And the men sayde vnto her: we wyll be bla melesse of this thyne othe, which thou hast made vs swere. Beholde, when we come in to the lande, thou shalt bynde this purple corde in the wyndowe, whiche thou lettest vs downe bye.

And thou shalt brynge thy father, and thy [unspec D] mother, thy brethren, and all thy Fathers houshold, euen into thy house. And then who soeuer doth go out at the dores of thy house, into the streete, ☞ his bloode shall be vpon his owne heade, and we wyl be gyltlesse. And whosoeuer shall be with the in the house, his bloode shall be on our heade, yf any mannes hande touche hym: And yf thou vtter these our wordes, we wyll be quyte of thyne othe, whiche thou hast made vs sweare. And she sayde: accordynge vnto youre wordes, so be it: and she sent them awaye to departe. And she bounde the purple corde in the wyndow.

And they departed, and got them into the mountayne, and there aboue thre dayes vn∣tyl the pursuers were returned. And the pur∣suers sought them thorowout all the waye, but founde them not. And the two men re∣turned, and descended from the mountayne, and passed ouer, and came to Iosua the son of Nun, and tolde hym all that had chaun∣ced them. And they sayde vnto Iosua: the Lorde truly hath delyuered into our handes all the lande: & all the inhabyters of the coū∣trey faynte at the presence of vs.

¶ Iosua with the people passe ouer Iordane.

CAPI. III.

ANd Iosua rose early: and they remo∣ued [unspec A] from Settim, and came to Iordā / he and all the Chyldren of Israell, and lodged there, before they went ouer. And af∣ter thre dayes it fortuned, that the offycers went thorowout the hoost, & cōmaunded the people sayenge: when ye se the arke of the te∣stament of the Lorde youre god, & the preest{is} that are Leuttes bearyng it: ye shall departe from your place, and go after it. So yet that there shall be a space bytwene you and it / a∣boute a two thousande cubites by measure.

And ye shall not come nygh vnto it, that ye may knowe the way, by which ye must go: [unspec B] forye haue not gone this waye in tymes past ❀ (and bevvare, that ye approche not nygh vn to the arke.) And Iosua sayd vnto the peple: ☞ Sanctifye youre selues, for to morowe the Lorde shall do wonders amonge you.

And Iosua spake vnto the preestes, saynge: Take vp the Arke of the couenaunt, and go before the people. And they toke vp the arke of the testament, and went before the people. And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosua: this daye wyl I begyn to ☞ magnifye the, in the syght of all Israell, that they maye knowe howe that as I was with Moses, so wyll I be with the. And thou shalte commaunde the preestes that beare the arke of the couenaūt / sayenge: when ye are come to the edge of the waters of Iordayne, ye shal stande styll in it.

And Iosua sayde vnto the Chyldren of [unspec C] Israel, come hyther, and heare the wordes of the lorde your God. And Iosua sayd: Hereby ye shall knowe, that the lyuynge God is a∣monge you, and that he wyll without fayle cast out before you, the Cananites, and the Hethites, the Heuites, the Pheresytes / the Gergesites, the Amorites, and the Iebusites. Beholde, the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde of all the worlde goeth before you, in to Iordan. Nowe therfore take from among you twelue men out of the trybes of Israell, out of euery trybe a man. And assoone as the sooles of the feete of the preestes (that beare the arke of the Lorde, the Gouernoure of all the worlde) treade in the waters of Iordane / the waters of Iordan (❀ that are beneath,

shall runne dovvne, and) shall be deuyded: and the waters that come from aboue, shall stande styll vpon an heape. And it fortuned, that when the people were departed from theyr tentes to go ouer Iordan, the preestes bearynge the Arke of the appoyntment, went before the people. And as soone as they that bare the Arke came vnto Iordane, and [unspec D] the feete of the Preestes that bare the Arke were dypped in the brym of the water. ( For Iordane vseth to fyll all his bankes all the tyme of haruest) the waters also that came downe frō aboue, dyd ryse vp vpon an heape (❀ and appeared as great as a mountayne,) and departed farre from the citye of Adam, that was besyde Zarthan. And the waters that were benethe towarde the see of the wylder∣nesse, fell awaye & departed into the salte see, and the peple went ryght ouer agaynst Ie∣rico. And the preest{is} that bare the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde, stode drye within Iordane, redy prepared, & all the Israelytes went ouer thorow the drye, vntyl all the peo∣ple were gone clene ouer thorowe Iordane.

¶ Iosua setteth vp. xii. stones in Iordane.

CAPI. IIII.

ANd it fortuned, that when the people / [unspec A] were all gone ouer Iordane, the lorde spake vnto Iosua, sayenge: Take you twelue men out of the people, out of euery trybe a man. And cōmaunde you them, say∣enge: take you hence out of the myddes of Iordane, (euen oute of the place where the preestes stode in a redynesse) twelue (❀ of the moost hardest) stoones, whiche ye shall take awaye with you, and leaue them in the place, where you shal lodge this nyght. And Iosua called the twelue men, whiche he had prepa∣red of the Chyldren of Israell, out of euery tryde a man, and Iosua sayd vnto them: get you before the Arke of the Lorde your God / euen thorowe the myddes of Iordan, and take vp euery man of you a stoone vpon his shoulder, accordynge vnto the nombre of the trybes of the Chyldren of Israell, that this maye be a sygne amonge you. That when your Chyldren aske theyr fathers in tyme to come, sayenge: what meane these stones with you? Ye maye answere them howe that the waters of Iordane deuyded at the presence of the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde.

For when it went ouer Iordan, the wa∣ters [unspec B] of Iordan deuyded: And these stoones are become a memoryall vnto the Chyldren of Israell for euer. And the Chyldren of Is∣raell dyd euen so as Iosua cōmaunded and toke vp twelue stoones out of the myddes of Iordane, as the Lorde sayde vnto Iosua accordyng to the nombre of the trybes of the chyldren of Israell, and caryed them awaye with them vnto the place where they lodged, and layde them downe there. And Iosua set vp twelue stones also in the myddes of Ior∣dan, in the place where the feet of the preestes whiche bare the Arke of the testament, stode. And there haue they continued ☞ vnto this daye. For the preestes whiche bare the Arke / stode in the myddes of Iordane, vntyll all was finysshed that the Lorde commaunded Iosua to saye vnto the people, accordynge to all that Moses charged Iosua And the peo∣ple hasted, and went ouer.

It fortuned also, that when all the people [unspec C] were cleane ouer, the arke of the Lorde went ouer also, and the preestes before the people. And the chyldren of Ruben, & the chyldren of Gad, & halfe the Trybe of Manasses went before the chyldren of Israel armed, as Mo∣ses charged them. Euen fourtye thousande prepared for war, went before the lorde vnto battayle, thorow the playn of Ierico. That day the lorde magnifyed Iosua in the syght of all Israell, & ☞ they feared hym, as they feared Moses all dayes of his lyfe. And the Lorde spake vnto Iosua, saynge: cōmaunde the Preestes that beare the arke of wytnesse / to come vp out of Iordane.

Iosua therfore cōmaunded the preestes / sayenge: Come ye vp out of Iordane. And when the Preestes that bare the Arke of the appoyntment of the lorde were come vp out of the myddes of Iordan, and assoone as the sooles of the preestes feet were set on the drye lande, the waters of Iordā returned agayne vnto theyr place, and went ouer all theyr ban¦kes [unspec D] as they dyd before. And the people came vp out of Iordane the tenth daye of the fyrst moneth, and pytched in Gylgall, euen in the East border of the citye Ierico.

And the twelue stoones whiche they toke out of Iordane, dyd Iosua pitche in Gylgal. And he spake vnto the Chyldren of Israell, sayenge: Yf your Chyldren aske theyr Fa∣thers in tyme to come, and saye: what meane these stones? ye shall shewe youre Chyldren, and saye: Israell came ouer this Iordane an drye lande. For the lorde your god dryed vp the water of Iordane before you, vutyll ye were gone ouer, as the Lorde youre God dyd the red see whiche he dryed vp before vs, tyl we were gone ouer: that all the people of the worlde maye knowe the hande of the Lorde, howe myghtye it is, and that ye myght feare the Lorde your God for euer.

¶ The Canaanites are afrayde.

CAPI. V.

ANd it fortuned, that when all the kyng{is} [unspec A] of the Amorytes, whiche are beyonde Iordan westwarde, and all the kynges of the Cananytes, whiche were by the see / herde, howe the Lorde had dryed vp the wa∣ters of Iordane before the children of Israel, vntyll they were goone ouer theyr hertes faynted for feare. And there was no spiryte in them any more, for the presence of the chyl∣dren of Israell.

That same tyme the Lorde sayde vnto Iosua: Make the sharpe knyues (of stone) and go to agayne and circumcyse the Chyl∣dren of Israell the seconde tyme. And Iosua [unspec B] made hym sharpe knyues (of stone) and cir∣cumcised the chyldren of Israell in the top of the foreskynnes. And this is the cause why Iosua circumcysed all the people that came out of Egypte: Namely suche as were males bycause that all the men of warre, dyed in the wyldernesse by the waye, after they came out of Egypte. For all the people that came out were circūcysed. But all the people that were borne in the wyldernesse by the waye, after they came out of Egypt, were not circūcised. For the Chyldren of Israell walked fourtye yeres in the wyldernesse, tyll all the people of the men of warre that came out of Egypte, were consumed, bycause they herkened not vnto the voyce of the Lorde. Wherfore the Lorde sware, that he wolde not shewe them the lande which the lorde sware vnto theyr fathers, that he wolde gyue vs, euen a lande that floweth with mylke and honye.

And theyr chyldren whome he sette vp in [unspec C] theyr steade: them Iosua circūcysed: for they were vncircumcised, bycause they circumci∣sed them not by the way. And when they had circumcised all the people, they abode styll togyther in the hooste tyll they were hoole.

And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosua: this daye I haue taken awaye the shame of Egypte frō you: wherfore the name of the same place is called Gilgall vnto this day. And the chil∣dren of Israell abode in Gilgall and helde the feast of passeouer the fourtene day of the moneth at euen in the playne of Ierico. And they dyd eate of the corne of the lande on the morowe after passeouer swete cakes, and par¦ched corne, in the selfe same daye.

For the Manna ceased on the morowe, after they had begon to eate of the corne of the lande, neyther had the chyldren of Israel Manna any more, but dyd eate of the corne of the lande of Canaan that yere.

And it fortuned that when Iosua was [unspec D] nygh to Ierico, he lyft vp his eyes, & loked: and beholde, there stode a man agaynst hym hauynge a swerde drawen in his hande. And Iosua went vnto hym, & sayd vnto hym: art thou on our syde or on our aduersaries: And he sayd: Naye, but as a captayne of the hoost of the Lorde am I nowe come. And Iosua fell on his face to the earth, & dyd reucrence, and sayde vnto hym, what sayeth my Lorde vnto his seruaunt? And the captayne of the Lordes hoost sayd vnto Iosua: do thy shoo of thy foote, for the place wheron thou stan∣dest, is holy. And Iosua dyd so.

¶ The walles of Iericho fall, and it to destroyed.

CAPI. VI.

ANd Ierico was shut vp, and locked by∣cause [unspec A] of the chyldren of Israel, neyther myght any man go out or in. And the Lorde sayd vnto Iosua: beholde, I haue gy∣uen into thyne hande Ierico & her kyng, and the stronge men of war. And ye shall cōpasse the citye, all ye that be men of warre, and go rounde aboute it once, and so shall ye do syre dayes. And seuen preestes shall beare before the arke, seuen trompettes of ramm{is} hornes ❀ (that be vsed in the Iubilie.) And the seuenth daye, ye shal compasse the citye seuen tymes, and the Preestes shall blowe with the trom∣pettes. And when they make a longe blaste with the rammes horne, & ye heare the soūde of the horne, all the people shall shoute with a great shoute. And then shall the wall ☞ of that citye fall downe, and the people shall as∣cende vp, euery man streyght before hym.

And Iosua the Sonne of Nun, called the preestes, & sayd vnto them: take vp the Arke of the appoyntment, & let. vii. Preestes beare seuen trompettes of Rammes hornes before the arke of the Lorde. And he sayde vnto the people, and go and compasse the citye: & let hym that is harnessed, go before the Arke of the Lorde. And when Iosua had spoken vn∣to the peple, the seuen preestes bare the seuen trompettes of rammes hornes, & went forth before the arke of the lorde, & blewe with the trompettes, and the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde folowed them.

And all the men of armes went before the [unspec B] Preestes, that blewe w^t the trompettes, & the cōmen people came after the arke: and went, and blewe with Trompettes. And Iosua cōmaunded the people, sayenge: Ye shall not shoute, nor make any noyse w^t youre voyce, neyther shall any worde procede out of youre mouth, vntyl the day I byd you shoute, then shall ye shoute. And so the arke of the Lorde

compassed the citye, and went aboute it once: and they returned in to the hoost, and lodged there. And Iosua rose early in the mornyng / and the preest{is} toke vp the arke of the lorde / and seuen preestes bare seuen trompettes of ramm{is} hornes, & went before the arke of the Lorde, & blewe with the trompettes. And all the men of armes went before them, but the cōmen peple came after the arke of the lorde, which went before with the blowynge of the trompettes. And the seconde daye they com∣passed the citye once, & returned agayne into the hooste, and so they dyd syxe dayes. And when the seuenth daye came, they rose early: euen with the dawnynge of the daye, & com∣passed the citye after the same maner seuen tymes: only that daye they cōpassed the citye seuen tymes.

And at the seueth tyme, when the preestes [unspec C] blewe the trompettes, Iosua sayde vnto the people: shoute, for the Lorde hath gyuen you the citye. And the citye shall be ☞ dampned, both it, & all that are therin, vnto the Lorde: only Rahab the harlot shall lyue, & all that are with her in the house, bycause she hyd the messengers that we sent. And in any wyse be ye ware of the excōmunicate thynges leest ye make your selues excōmunicate, and take of the excōmunicate thyng{is}, & make the hoost of Israell excōmunicate, and trouble it. But all the Siluer, golde, vessels of brasse, & yron shal be consecrate vnto the lorde, & shal come into his treasurye. And the people shouted, & blewe with trompettes. And when the people herde the sounde of the trompe, they shouted with a great shoute: & the wall fell downe, so that the people went vp in to the citye, euery man streyght before hym, and toke the citye.

And they vtterly destroyed all that was in the citye, both man & woman, yonge & olde / ore, shepe & asse, with the edge of the swerde.

Then Iosua sayde vnto the two men that had spyed out the coūtrey: go in to the har∣lottes house, & bryng out thence the woman / and all that she hath, as ye sware to her.

And the yonge men that were spyes, went [unspec D] in, and brought out Rahab, & her father, and mother and her brethren, and al that she had. And they brought out all her kynred, and put them without the hooste of Israell. And they burnt the citye with fyre, & all that was therin. Onely the Syluer and the golde / the vessels of brasse and yron, they put vnto the treasure of the house of the lorde. And Io∣sua saued Rahab the harlot, and her fathers housholde, and al that she had, and she dwelt in Israell, euen vnto this daye, bycause she hyd the messengers, which Iosua sent to spye out Ierico. And Iosua sware at that tyme / sayenge: cursed be the man before the Lorde, that ryseth vp, & buyldeth this citye Ierico: he shall laye the foundacyon ☞ in his el∣dest sonne, and in his yongest son shall he set vp the gates of it. And so the lorde was with Iosua, and his fame was noysed throwout all landes.

¶ Hai is spyed out. Acan is stoned.

CAPI. VII.

BUt yet the chyldren of Israell trespassed [unspec A] in the excommunicate thynges: And Acan the sonne of Carmi, the sonne of Zabdi, the sonne of Zareh of the trybe of Iu∣da, toke of the excommunicate thynges, And the wrath of the Lorde waxed hoote agaynst the chyldren of Israeli. And Iosua sentmen from Ierico to Hai, whiche is besyde Betha∣uen, on the east syde of Bethel, and spake vn∣to them, sayenge: Get you vp, and vewe the countrey. And the men went vp, and spyed out Hai. And returned vnto Iosua, and sayd vnto hym, let not all the people go vp but let as it were a two or thre thousand men go vp, and smyte Hai, and make not all the people to labour thyther, for they are but fewe.

And so there went vp thyther of the people, aboute a thre thousande men, and they fled before the men of Hai. And the men of Hai smote of them vpon a thyrtye and syre men: for they chased them frō before the gare euen vnto Sebarina & smote them in the goynge downe. Wherfore the hertes of the people for feare melted awaye lyke water.

And Iosua rent his clothes, & fell to the [unspec B] earth vpon his fare before the Arke of the lorde vntyll the euen tyde, he and the Elders of Israell, and put earth vpon theyr heades. And Iosua sayde: Alas, O Lorde God, wherfore hast thou brought this people ouer Iordane, to delyuer vs into the hande of the Amorites, and to destroye vs: wolde to God we had ❀ ben content, & dwelte on the other syde Iordane. Oh Lorde what shall I saye / when Israel turneth theyr back{is} before theyr enemyes: Surely the Cananites, and all the enhabyters of the lande shall heare of it, and shall conspyre agaynst vs, and destroye the name of vs out of the world. And what wylt thou do vnto thy myghtye name? And the Lorde sayd vnto Iosua, get the vp, wherfore lyest thou thus vpon thy face? Israell hath synned, and they haue transgressed myne ap¦poyntment, whiche I cōmaunded them: for they haue taken of the excōmunicate thyn∣ges, and haue stollen, & dissembled, and put

them vnto theyr owne stuffe: And therfore is it that the chyldren of Israell can not stande before theyr enemyes, but shall turne theyr backes before theyr enemyes, bycause they be excommunicate. Neyther wyll I be with you any more, excepte ye destroye the excom∣municate from amonge you.

Up therfore, and ☞ sanctifye the peo∣ple, and saye: sanctifye youre selues agaynst [unspec C] to morowe: for so sayd the Lorde God of Is∣raell. There is a damned thynge among you (O Israell) and therfore ye can not stande a∣gaynst your enemyes, vntyll ye haue put the dampned thyng from amonge you. To mo∣rowe mornynge therfore ye shall be brought accordynge to youre Trybes. And the tiybe whiche the Lorde taketh, shall come accor∣dynge to the kynreds therof. And the kynred whiche the Lorde shall fynde gyliye, shall come by housholdes. And the housholde, whiche the Lorde shall fynde fautye, shall come man by man. And he that is founde in the excommunicacyon, shall be burnte with fyre, he and all that he hath, bycause he hath transgressed the couenaunt of the lorde / and wrought folye in Israell. And so Iosua rose vp early in the mornynge, & brought Israell by theyr trybes: and the Trybe of Iuda was caught. And he brought the kynreds of Iu∣da, and toke the kynred of the Zarehites. And he brought the kynred of the Zarehites man, by man, and Zabdi was caught. And he brought his shousholde man by man, and Acan the sonne of Carmi, the son of Zabdi / the Sonne of Zareh in the Trybe of Iuda was caught.

And Iosua sayde vnto Acan: my sonne / [unspec D] ☞ gyue glory to the Lorde God of Israell, and gyue hym prayse, and shewe me what thou hast doone, hyde it not from me. And Acan answered Iosua, and sayde, of a truth I haue synned agaynst the Lorde god of Is∣rael, and thus and thus haue I done. I saw amonge the spoyle a goodlye Babylony she garment, and two hundred sycles of syluer, and a tonge of golde of fyftie sicles meyght: and I counted them, and toke them. And be∣holde, they lye hyd in the earth in my tente, and the syluer is there vnder. And so Iosua sent messengers: whiche when they ran vnto his tente, beholde, they were hyd in his tent / and the syluer there vnder. Therfore they toke them out of the myddest of his tent, and brought them vnto Iosua, and vnto all the Chyldren of Israell, and layde them out be∣fore the lorde. And Iosua toke Acan the son of Zarch, & the syluer, and the garment, and the tonge of golde, and his Sonnes, and his doughters, his oxen, and his asses, his shepe and his tent, & all that he had, and all Israel with hym brought them vnto the valey of Acor. And Iosua sayd: In as muche as thou hast troubled vs, the lorde shall trouble the this daye. And all Israell stooned hym with stones, and burnte them with fyre, and ouer∣whelmed them w^t stones. And they cast vpon hym a great heape of stones vnto this daye. And so the Lorde turned from the wrathe of his indygnacion. And the name of the place is called the valey of Acor vnto this daye.

¶ The fe••ge, and wynnynge of Hai. The kynge therof is hanged. Iosua setteth vp an aulter. He blesseth the people.

CAPI. VIII.

ANd the Lorde sayd vnto Iosua: feare [unspec A] not, neyther be thou faynte herted.

Take all the men of war with the, and vp, and get the to Hai. Beholde, I haue gy∣uen into thy hande, the kyng of Hai, and his people, his citye & his lande. And thou shalte do to Hai and her kynge, as thou dydest vn∣to Iericho and her kynge. Neuerthelesse the spoyle and cattell therof, shall ye take vnto your selues: And lay a watche vnto the towne, on the backesyde therof. And so Io∣sua arose, and all the men of warre, to go vp agaynst Hai. And Iosua chose out thyrtye thousande men of war, and sent them awaye by nyght. And he cōmaunded them, saynge: beholde, ye shall laye awayte vnto the towne on the backesyde therof. Go not very farre from the citye, but be al redye. And I and all the people that are with me, wyl approche vn to the citye.

And when they come out agaynst vs, as [unspec B] they dyd at the fyrst tyme, then wyl we fley be¦fore them, for they wyl come out after vs, and we wyll brynge them out of the citie. For they wyll saye, they fley before vs, as at the fyrste tyme: and we wyll fley before them. In the meane tyme shall ye aryse vp from layenge awayte, and destroy the citye: For the Lorde your God wyll delyuer it into your hande. And when ye haue taken the citye, ye shall set it on fyre. Accordynge to the cōmaundement of the lorde shall ye do: beholde, I haue char∣ged you. Iosua therfore sent them forth, and they went to lay awayte, and abode bytwene Bethell and Hai, on the west syde of the citye of Hai. But Iosua lodged that night among the people. And Iosua rose vp earlye in the mornynge, and nombred the people, & went vp, he & the elders of Israell before the peo∣ple agaynst Hai. And all the men of warre that were with hym / went vp and drue nygh

and came agaynst the citye, and pytched on the north syde of Hai, and there was a valey bytwene them and Hai.

And he toke vpon a fyue thousande men, [unspec C] and put them to lay awayte, bytwene Bethel & Hai, on the westsyde of the citye. And they put the people (euen all the hooste that were on the northsyde) agaynst the citye, and the layers awayt on the west. And Iosua walked the same nyght in the myddes of the valey.

And it fortuned, that when the kynge of Hai sawe it, they hasted & rose vp early, and the men of the citye went out agaynst Israel to battayle, he and all his people, at a tyme appoynted, euen before the playne, and wyst not that there were layers awayte on the bac∣syde of the citye. And Iosua and all Israell fayned them selues to be put to the worse be¦fore them, and fled towarde the wyldernesse. And al the people of the towne were called to gyther, to folowe after them.

And they folowed after Iosua, and were [unspec D] drawen awaye from the citie: And there was not a man lette in Hai, and in Bethell, that went not out after Israell. And they lefte the citye open, and folowed after Israell. And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosua: stretche out the speare that is in thyne hande, towarde Hai / for I wyl gyue it into thy hande. And Iosua stretched out the speare that he had in his hand, toward the citie. And the layers awayt rose quycklye out of theyr place, and ran as soone as Iosua had stretched out his hande, and they entred into the citye and toke it, and hasted, and set the citye on fyre. And when the men of Hai loked backe after them, they sawe the smoke of the cytye ascende vp to heuen. And they had no leasure to fley eyther this waye or that, & the people that fled to the wyldernesse, turned backe agayne vpon the folowers. And when Iosua and all Israell sawe that the layers awayte had taken the citye, and that the smoke of it ascended, they turned agayne and layde on the men of Hai.

And the other yssued out of the cytye a∣gaynst [unspec E] them. And so were they in the mydd{is} of Israell: for these were on the one syde of them, and the reeste on the other syde. And they layde vpon them, so that they let no one of them scape. And the kynge of Hai they toke alyue, and brought hym to Iosua. And when Israell had made an ende of sleyenge all the enhabyters of Hai, in the felde of the wyldernesse, where they chased them, & when they were al fallen on the edge of the swerde, vntyll they were wasted, all the Israelytes returned vnto Hai, and smote it in the edge of the swerde. And all that fell that day, both of men, and women, were twelue thousande, euen all the men of Hai. For Iosua plucked not his hande backe agayne, whiche he stret∣ched out vpon the speare, vntyll he had vtter¦lye destroyed all the enhabitatours of Hai. Only the cattel and the spoyle of the citye, Israell toke vnto them selues, accordynge vnto the worde of the Lorde, whiche he com∣maunded Iosua.

And Iosua set Hai on fyre, and made it an [unspec F] heape for euer, & a wyldernes, euen vnto this day. And the kyng of Hai he hanged on tree / vntyll euen. And as soone as the sonne was downe, Iosua cōmaunded that they shulde take the carkas downe of the tree, and cast it at the entrynge of the gate of the citye, and laye theron a greate heape of stoones, that remayneth vnto this daye. Then Iosua buylde an aultre vnto the Lorde God of Israell, in mounte Eball, as Moses the ser∣uaunt of the Lorde cōmaunded the chyldren of Israell, and as it is wrytten in the bokeof the law of Moses: ‡ an aulter of ☞ hoole stoones, ouer whiche no man hath lylte any toole of yron. And they Sacrifyced theron burntsacrifyces vnto the Lorde, and offered peaceofferynges. And he wrote there vpon the stoones, a rehearsall of the lawe of Mo∣ses, & wrote it in the presence of the Chyldren of Israell.

And all Israel and the elders therof, and [unspec G] theyr offycers and Iudges stoode, parte on this syde the arke, and parte on that syde, be∣fore the preestes, that were Leuytes, whiche bare the arke of the apoyntment of the lorde: as wel the straunger, as they that were borne among them: halfe on them on the forefront of the mounte Garizim, and halfe of them on the forefront of mount Eball: as Moses the seruaunt of the lorde had cōmaunded before, that they shulde blesse the people Israell. Afterward he red all the wordes of the lawe / the blessynges, and cursynges, accordyng to all that is wrytten in the booke of the lawe: And there was not one worde of al that Mo¦ses cōmaunded, whiche Iosua sed not before all the cougregacyon of Israel: The women and chyldren, (and the straungers that were come) standynge amonge them.

¶ The Gibconyies obtayne peace of Iosua.

CAPI. IX.

ANd it fortuned, that when all the kyng{is} [unspec A] that dwell on this syde Iordane, in the hylles and valeys, and alonge by al the coostes of the great see, ouer agaynst Libanō (Namely the Hethites, the Amorites, the Ca∣nanites,

the Pheresites, the Heuites, and the Iebusytes) herde therof, they gathered them selues togyther, to fyght agaynst Iosua, and agaynst Israell with one accorde. And the enhabytours of Gibeon herde what Iosua had done vnto Iericho, and to Hai: And they played wylylye, and went, & made them sel∣ues ambasadours, & toke ❀ (them vyttayles, and) olde sackes vpon theyr Asses, and wyne bottels olde, and rent and worne•• and olde clouted shoos vpon theyr feete, and theyr ray¦ment was olde, and all theyr prouysyon of breade was dryed vp, and hoored.

And they came vnto Iosua into the hoost [unspec B] to Gilgall, and sayde vnto hym, and vnto al the men of Israell: we be come from a farre countrey, and nowe make ye agrement with vs. And the men of Israell sayde vnto the Heuite: peraduenture thou dwelldest among vs, and then howe can I make peace with the? And they sayde vnto Iosua: we are thy seruauntes. And Iosua sayde vnto them a∣gayne: what are ye? And whence come ye? They answered hym: From a very far coun∣trey thy seruaūtes are come, for the name of the Lorde thy GOD: for we haue herde the fame ❀ (of the poure) of hym, and all that he dyd in Egypt, and all that he dyd to the two kynges of the Amorites that were beyonde Iordane, Sehon kynge of Hesbon, and Og kynge of Basan, whiche was at Astharoth. Wherfore oure Elders and all the enhaby∣tours of oure countrey spake •• vs, sayenge: take vitayles with you to serue by the waye, and go meete them, and saye vnto them: we are youre seruauntes. And nowe make ye a couenaunt of peace with vs. This our foode of breade, we toke with vs out of our houses hoote, the day we departed to come vnto you And nowe beholde, it is dryed vp, & hoored. And these bottels of wyne whiche we fylled, were newe: and se, they be rent. And these our garmetes and shoos are worne for oldnesse / by the reason of the excedynge longe Iour∣ney. And the men toke of theyr vittayles, and counsayled not with the mouth of the lorde.

And Iosua made peace with them, and [unspec C] made a couenaunt with them, that they shulde be suffered to lyue, and the Lorde of the congregacyon sware vnto them. And it fortuned that thre dayes after they had made peace with them, they herde that they were theyr neyghbours, & that they dwelt among them. And the chyldren of Israell toke theyr Iourney & came vnto theyr cityes the thyrde daye: and theyr cityes were Gibeon, & Ca∣phira, Beeroth and Kariath Iarim.

And the Chyldren of Israell slewe them not, bycause the Lordes of the congregacion had sworne vnto them by the Lorde God of Israell. And all the multitude murmured a∣gaynst the Lordes. But all the Lordes sayd vnto all the congregacyon: we haue sworne vnto them by the Lorde God of Israell, and therfore we maye not hurte them. But this we wyll do to them: We wyll let them lyue, leest wrathe be vpon vs, bycause of the othe whiche we sware vnto them.

And the Lordes sayd vnto them agayne: [unspec D] Let them lyue and hewe wood, & drawe wa∣ter vnto all the congregacyon, as the lordes sayde vnto them. And Iosua sent for them, and talked with them, and sayde: wherfore haue ye begyled vs sayenge: We dwell farre from you, when ye dwell amonge vs? & now are you cursed, and there shall not cease to be of you, bonde men, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the house of my God.

And they answered Iosua, and sayde: it was tolde thy seruauntes, howe that the lorde thy God had cōmaunded his seruaunt Moses to gyue you all the lande, and to destroye all the enhabytours therof out of youre syght, & therfore we were excedyng sore afrayd ❀ (and dyd prouyde) for our lyues at the presence of you and this haue we done, and beholde we are in thyne hand: as it semeth good & ryght in thyne eyes to do vnto vs, so do. And euen so dyd he vnto them, and ryd them out of the hande of the Chyldren of Israell, and they selwe them not. And Iosua made them that same day hewers of wood, & drawers of wa∣ter for the cōgregacyon, and for the aulter of God vnto this daye, in the place whiche god shulde chose.

¶ The Am••rytes are ouercome of Iosua. It rayneth stones. The son standeth ••••yll. The fyue kynges are hanged.

CAPI. X. [unspec A]

ANd it fortuned, that when Adonizede•• kynge of Ierusalem had herde, howe Iosua had taken Hai, & had destroyed it, and howe that as he had done to Ierico and her kynge, euen so he had done to Hai / and her kynge, and howe the enhabytoures of Gibeon had made peace with Israell, and were amonge them, they feared excedynglye, for Gibeon was a great citye, as any citye of the kyngdome, and was greater then Hai / and all the men therof were very myghtye. Wherfore Adonizedec kynge of Ierusalem sent vnto Hoham kynge of Hebron, and vn∣to Pirea kynge of Irimoth, & vnto Iaphia kynge of Lachis, and vnto Dabir kynge of Eglon, sayenge: Come vp vnto me, & helpe

me, that we may smyte Gibeon: for they haue made peace with Iosua, & with the chyldren [unspec B] of Israell. Therfore the. v. kynges of the A∣morites, the kynge of Ierusalem, the kyng of Hebron, the kynge of Ierimoth, the kynge of Lachis, the kynge of Eglon gathered them¦selues togyther, they with all theyr hoostes, & beseyged Gibeon, & made warre agaynst it.

And the men of Gibeon sent vnto Iosua & to the hoost to Gilgal, saynge: Withdrawe not thy hande from thy seruauntes, come vp to vs, to saue vs, and to helpe vs. For all the kynges of the Amorites whiche dwell in the mountaynes are gathered togyther agaynst vs. And so Iosua ascended from Eilgal, he and all the peole of warre with hym, and all the men of myght, and the Lorde sayde vnto Iosua: feare them not, for I haue delyuered them in to thyne hande. Neyther shall any of them stand agaynst the. Iosua therfore came vnto them sodeynly, and went vp from Gil∣gall all nyght.

And the Lorde troubled them before Is∣raell, [unspec C] and slewe them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them alonge the way that gothe vp to Bethoron, and smote them to Esaka and Makeda. And it fortuned, that as they fled from Israell, and were in the go∣ynge downe to Bethorō, the lorde cast downe great stones from heuen vpon them, vntyll Esaka. And there were mo deade with hayle stones, then they were, whom the chyldren of Israll slewe with the swerde.

Then spake Iosua before the Lorde, in the day when the Lorde delyuered the Amo∣rites before the chyldren of Israell, and he sayd in the syght of Israell. Sonne, stande thou styll vpon Gibeon, and thou Moone, in Aialon. And the son abode, & the moone stode styll, vntyll the people auenged them selues vpon theyr enemyes. Is not this wrytten in the boke ☞ of the ryghteous? The sonne (I saye) Abode in the myddes of heuen, and hasted not to go downe by the space of a hole day. And there was no day lyke that, before it, or after it, that the lorde herde the voyce of a man. For the lorde fought for Israell.

And Iosua returned and all Israell with [unspec D] hym, vnto the hooste of Gilgall: but the fyue kynges fled, and were hyd in a caue at Ma∣keda. And it was tolde Iosua of one, saynge: the fyue kynges are founde hyd in a caue, which is at Makeda. And Iosua sayd, rowle great stones vpon the mouthe of the caue, and set men by it, for to kepe them. And stand ye not styll, but folowe after your enemyes, and smyte all the hyndermoost.

And suffre them not to entre into theyr ci∣ties, for the Lorde your God hath despuered them in to your hande. And it fortuned when Iosua and the chyldren of Israell had made an ende of sleynge them with a great slaugh∣ter tyll they were wasted, the rest that remay∣ned of them, entred in to walled Cityes.

And all the people returned to the hoost, to Iosua at Makeda in peace, neyther dyd any man moue his tongue agaynst the chyl∣dren of Israell. Then sayde Iosua: Open the mouthe of the caue, and brynge out these fyue kynges vnto me oute of the caue. And they dyd so, and brought those fyue kynges vnto hym, out of the caue, euen the kynge of Ierusalem, the kynge of Hebron, the kynge of Ierimoth, the kynge of Lachis, and the kynge of Eglon.

And it fortuned, that when they brought [unspec E] out those kynges vnto Iosua: Iosua called for all the men of Israell, and sayde vnto the cheyfe of the men of warre, whiche went with hym: come nere, and put youre feete vpon the neckes of these kynges. And they came nere, and put theyr feete vpon the nerkes of them. And Iosua sayde vnto them: Ye shall not feare, nor be faynt herted. But be strong and plucke vp your hertes, for thus shall the Lorde do to al your enemyes agaynst whom ye fyght. And then Iosua smote them, & flew them, & hanged them on fyue trees tyll euen. And at the goynge downe of the sonne it for∣tuned, that Iosua gaue cōmaundement, and they toke them downe of the trees, and ••ast them in to the caue, (wherin they had bene hyd) & layd great stones on the ••a••••s mouth whiche remayne vnto this daye.

And that same daye Iosua roke Make∣da, and smote it with the edge of the swerde and the kynge therof also destroyed he vt∣terly, with all the soules that were therin, and let nought remayne. And he dyd to the kynge of Makeda as he dyd to the kynge of Iericho. Then Iosua wente from Make∣da, and all Israell with hym vnto Libna, & fought agaynst Libna. And the Lorde dely∣uered it, and the kyng therof in to the hande of Israell, and he smote it with the edge of the swerde, and all the soules that were ther∣in. He let nought remayne in it, but dyd vnto the kynge therof as he dyd vnto the kynge of Iericho.

And Iosua departed from Libna, and [unspec F] all Israell with hym, vnto Lachis, and be∣seyged it, and assaulted it. And the Lorde delyuered Lachis in to the hande of Israell, whiche toke it the seconde daye, and smote it

with the edge of the swerde, and al the soules that were therin, doynge accordyng to all, as he had done to the citie of Libna.

Then Horam kyng of Geser came vp to helpe Lachis: And Iosua smote hym and his people, vntyll nought remayned of hym.

And from Lachis Iosua departed vnto Eglon, and all Israell with hym / and they beseyged it, and assaulted it, and toke it the same daye, and smote it with the edge of the swerde, and all the soules that were therin he vtterlye destroyed the same daye / accordynge to all that he had done to Lachis.

And Iosua departed vp from Eglon / and all Israell with hym, vnto Hebron. And they fought agaynst it, and when they had taken it, they smote it with the edge of the [unspec G] swerde, and the kyng therof, and all the tow∣nes that perteyne to it, and al the soules that were therin, and he lefte nought remaynyng: but dyd accordynge to all, as he had done to Eglon, and destroyed it vtterlye, and all the soules that were therin.

And Iosua returned, and all Israel with hym to Dabir, and fought agaynst it. And when he had taken it, and the kynge therof, and all the townes that perteyned therto, they smote them with the edge of the swerde, and vtterly destroyed all the soules that were therin, neyther let he ought remayne. Euen as he dyd to Hebron, so he dyd to Dabir and the kynge therof, as he had done also to Lib∣na and her kynge.

Iosua therfore smote all the hyll coun∣treys, and the southe countreys, and the va∣leys, and the hyl sydes, and all theyr kynges, and let nought remayne of them, but vtterly destroyed all that breathed, as the lorde god of Israell commaunded. And Iosua smote them from Cades barne vnto Asah, and all the countrey of Gosan, euen vnto Gibeon. All those kynges and theyr lande dyd Iosua take at one tyme: bycause the Lorde God of Israel fought for Israel. And Iosua and all Israell returned, vnto the hoost that was in Gilgall.

¶ The battayle of Iosua with dyuers hynges.

CAPI. XI.

ANd it fortuned, that when Iabin kyng [unspec A] of Hazor had herde these thyng{is}: he sent to Iobab kynge of Madon, and to the kyng of Simron, and to the kyng of Acsaph and vnto the kynges that are by north in the mountaynes, and playnes, toward the south syde of Ceneroth, and in the lowe countreys, and in the borders of Dor westwarde, & vnto the Cananites both by East & west: and vnto the Amorites, Hethites, Pheresites, and Ie∣busites in the mountaynes: and vnto the He¦uites that were vnder Hermon in the lande of Mizpa: And they came out and all theyr hoostes with them, a multitude of folke, euen as the sande that is on the see shore in a great nombre with horses and charettes excedyng many. And all these kynges met togyther, & came, and pytched togyther at the waters of Merom, for to fyght agaynst Israel.

And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosua: be not afrayde at the presence of them: for to morow aboute this tyme wyll I delyuer them all sleyne before Israel: thou shalte hough theyr horses, and burne theyr charettes with fyre.

And so Iosua came and all the men of war [unspec B] with hym agaynst them by the waters of Me¦rom, & sodeynly fel vpon them. And the lorde delyuered them in to the hande of Israell: & they smote them, and chased them vnto great Sidon, and vnto the hoote waters, & vnto the valey of Mizpa which is eastwarde: and smote them vntyl they had none remaynyng of them. And Iosua dyd vnto them, as the Lorde bad hym: he houghed theyr horses, & burnt theyr charettes with fyre.

And Iosua at that tyme turned backe, & toke Hazor, and smote the kynge therof with the swerde. And Hazor before tyme was the head of al those kyngdomes. And they smote all the soules that were therin with the edge of the swerde, vtterly destroyenge all, and no¦thynge that breathed, was let remayne. And he burnt Hazor with fyre, And all those cities of those kynges, and all the kynges of them, dyd Iosua take, & smote them with the edge of the swerde, & vtterly destroyed them as Moses the seruaunt of the lorde cōmaūded.

But Israel burnt none of the cities ☞ that stode styll in theyr strength, saue Hazor onely [unspec C] that Iosua burnt: And all the spoyle of the sayd cities & the cattel, the chyldren of Israel caught vnto them selues. But the men onely they smote with the edge of the swerde vntyl they had destroyed them, neyther lefte they ought that had breath. As the lorde cōmaun∣ded Moses his seruaunt, so dyd Moses com¦maunde Iosua, and euen so dyd Iosua: so that he mynysshed no worde, of all that the lorde cōmaunded Moses. And so Iosua toke all the lande, the hylles, & all the south coun∣trey, and all the lande of Gosan, and the low countrey, and the playne, and the ☞ moun∣tayne of Israel, and the lowe countrey of the same, euen from the mounte of partyng, that goth vp to Seir vnto the playne of Gad in the valey of Libanon, vnder mount Hermō.

And all the kynges of the same he toke, and smote them, and slewe them.

Iosua made warre long tyme with those [unspec D] kyng{is}: neyther was there any citie that made peace with the chyldren of Israell, saue those Hethites that enhabited Gibeon: & therfore all other they toke with battayle: for it came of the Lorde, whiche dyd harden theyr hertes that they shulde come agaynst Israel in bat∣tayle: and that they shulde destroye them vt∣terly, and shewe them no mercy, but to bryng them to nought: As the Lorde commaunded Moses. And that same reason came Iosua, and destroyed the Enakites out of the moun¦taynes: namely out of Hebron, Dabir, Anab, and out of all the mountaynes of Iuda, and out of al the mountaynes of Israel. And Io∣sua destroyed them vtterly with theyr cities. There was not one Enakite left in the lande of the chyldrē of Israel: onely in Asah Geth and Asdod, there remayned of them.

And Iosua toke the hoole lande, accor∣dynge to all that the lorde sayd vnto Moses and Iosua gaue it for a possessyon vnto Is∣rael accordynge to theyr partes and tribes: and the lande rested from warre.

¶ What hynges Iosua and the chyldren of Israell hylled, whiche were in nombre thyrtye and one.

CAPI. XII.

THese are the kynges of the lande which [unspec A] the chyldren of Israeli smote: and con∣quered theyr land on the other syde Ior¦dan eastwarde, from the ryuer Arnon, vnto mounte Hermon, & all the playne eastwarde: Sehon kyng of the Amorites, that dwelte in Hesbon, and ruled from Aroer, whiche is besyde the ryuer of Arnon, and from the myd¦dest of the ryuer, and from halfe Gilead vn∣to the ryuer Iabocke, which is the border of the chyldrē of Ammon: And from the playne vnto the see of Ceneroth eastwarde, and vn∣to the see in the playne: euen the salte see east∣warde, the way to Beth Iesimoth, and from the southe vnder the sprynges of the hyll.

And the coost of Og kyng of Basan which [unspec B] was of the remenaunt of the Gyauntes, and dwelte at Astharoth, and Edrai and reygned in mount Hermon, and in Salecah, and in all Basan, vnto the border of the Gesurites, and the Macathites, and halfe Gilead, vnto the borders of Sehon kyng of Hesbon. Moses the seuaunt of the Lorde and the chyldren of Israell smote them, and Mo∣ses the seruaunt of the lorde, gaue theyr land for a possessyon, vnto the Rubenites, Gaddi∣tes, and halfe the tribe of Manasses.

These are the kynges of the coūtrey, which Iosua and the chyldren of Israell smote on this syde Iordan westwarde, from the playn of Gad, whiche is in the valey of Libanon, euen vnto the partyng mount that gothe vp to Seir. Which lande Iosua gaue vnto the tribes of Israel to possesse, to euery man his parte: in the vpper lande, and nether lande, in playnes, and hyll sydes, in the wyldernes, and south countrey: the Hethites, the Amo∣rites, the Cananites, the Pheresites, the He∣uites, and the Iebusites.

The kynge of Iericho: was one. The kynge of Hai which is besyde Bethel: one. The kynge of Ierusalem: one. The kynge [unspec C] of Hebron: one. The kynge of Ierimoth: one. The kyng of Lachis: one. The kyng of Eglō one. The kyng of Gazer: one. The kynge of Dabir: one. The kynge of Gader: one. The kyng of Horma: one. The kyng of Ered: one. The kyng of Libna: one. The kyng of Odo∣lam: one. The kynge of Makeda: one. The kynge of Bethel: one. The kyng of Thaph∣uah: one. The kynge of Hepher: one. The kynge of Aphek: one. Th kynge of La∣saron: one. The kynge of Madan: one. The kynge of Hasor: one. The kynge of Simron¦meron: one. The kynge of Acsaph: one. The kyng of Thenach: one. The kyng of Mage∣do: one. The kyng of Cades: one. The kynge of Iacanam of Carmell: one. The kynge of the countrey of Dor: one. The kynge of the nacions of Gilgall: one. The kynge of Therzah: one▪

All the kynges togyther thyrtye and one.

¶ Iosua is cōmaunded to deuyde the lande to the Chyldren of Israell.

CAPI. XIII.

IOsua was olde, and strycken in yeres, & [unspec A] the Lorde sayd vnto hym: thou arte olde, .. and strycken in yeres, and there remay∣neth yet ercedynge moche lande to be posses∣sed. This is the lande that remayneth: al the regions of the Philistines: and all Gesurye: from N••••us whiche is in Egypte, vnto the borders of Akaron northwarde, which lande is counted vnto Cananye, euen. v. lordshyps of the Philistines, the Asathites, Asdadites. Ascalonites, Gethites, Akaronites, and the Eurtes. And from the south, all the lande of the Cananites, and the caue that is besyde the Sidomans, euen vnto Aphek, and to the border of the Amorttes.

And the lande of the Giblites, and all Li∣banon towarde the Sonne rysyng, from the playne of Gad vnder mount Hermon, vntyl a mā come to Hemath: all the enhabitours of the hyl coūtrey, from Libanō vnto the hoote

waters, and all the Sidonians, wyll I cast [unspec B] out from before the chyldren of Israel: onely so that thou in anywyse deuyde it by lot vnto the Israelites, to enherite, as I haue cōmaū∣ded the. Nowe therfore deuyde this lande to enherite, vnto the nyne tribes and the half tribe of Manasses. For with the other halfe the Rubenites and the Gaddites haue recey¦ued theyr enheritaūce whiche Moses gaue them beyonde Iordan Eastwarde: euen as Moses the seruaunt of the Lorde gaue them: from Aroer that lyeth on the brym of the ry∣uer Arnon, and from the citie that is in the myddes of the ryuer. And all the playne of Midba vnto Dibon, and all the Cityes of Sehon kynge of the Amorites, whiche reyg∣ned in Hesbon, euen vnto the border of the chyldren of Ammon: and Gilead, and the bor¦der of Gesuri and Machati, and all mounte Hermon, with al Bason vnto Salecah: euen all the kyngdome of Og in Basan, whiche reygned in Asthoroth and Adrai, which same remayned yet of the rest of the Gyauntes. These dyd Moses smyte, and cast them out.

Neuerthelesse the chyldren of Israell ex∣pelled not the Gesurites and the Machatht∣tes. But the Gesurites and the Machathi∣tes dwelte among the Israelites euen vnto this daye. Onely vnto the tribe of Leut, he gaue none enheritaunce: But the offeryng of the Lorde God of Israell is theyr enheri∣taunce, as he sayd vnto them.

Moses gaue vnto the tribe of the Chyl∣dren [unspec C] of Ruben accordynge to theyr kynreds. And theyr coost was from Aroer that lyeth on the banke of the ryuer Arnon, and from the citie that is in the myddes of the ryuer, & all the playne whiche is by Madba, Hesbon, with all theyr townes that lye in the playne: Dibon and Baal, and the house Baalmeon: and Iahazah, and Kedemoth & Mephaah K••¦••iatham, Sabamah and Zarath Zahar in the mounte of the valley, the house of Peor, and the sprynges of the hylles: & Beth Pheo•• and the sprynges of Phasgah, and Bethiesi∣moth, and all the cities of the playne. And al the kyngdom of Sehon kynge of the Amo∣rites, whiche reygned in Hesbon, whom Mo∣ses smote with the lordes of Madian, Eui Rekem, Zur, and Hur, and Reba, the whiche were dukes of Sehon dwellyng in the coun∣trey. And Balaam the sonne of Beor the soth sayer, dyd the chyldren of Israell sley with the swerde, amonge other of them that were sleyne. And the border of the chyldren of Ru∣ben was Iordan with the coūtrey that lyeth theron. This was the enheritaunce of the chyldren of Ruben after theyr kynreds, cities and villages perteynyng therto.

And Moses gaue vnto the tribe of Gad, euen vnto the chyldren of Gad, he gaue by [unspec D] theyr kynreds. And theyr coostes were Iazer and all the cities of Gilead, & halfe the lande of the chyldren of Ammon, vnto Aroer that lyeth before Rabah. And from Hesbon vnto Ram•••••• Mazphah, and Beton••m: and from Mahanaim vnto the borders of Dabir. And in the valley they had Betharam, Bethnim∣ra, Socoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kyng dome of Sehon kyng of Hesbon, vnto Ior∣dane, and the coostes that lye theron, euē vn∣to the edge of the see of Ceneroth, on the o∣ther syde Iordan eastwarde. This is the en∣heritaunce of the chyldren of Gad after theyr kynreds, theyr cities and villages.

And Moses gaue vnto the halfe tribe of Manasses. And this was the possessyon of the halfe tribe of Manasses by theyr kinreds Theyr coost was from Mahanaim, euen all Basan, and all the kyngdome of Og kynge of Basan, and all the townes of Iair whiche lye in Basan, euen thre score cities, and halfe Gilead, Astaroth, & Edrai, cities of the kyng∣dome of Og in Basan, which perteyne vn¦to the chyldren of Machir the sonne of Ma∣nasses, euen the halfe porcyon of the chyldren of Machir by theyr kynreds. These are the thynges whiche Moses dyd distribute in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Moab, on the other syde Iordan o∣uer agaynst Iericho eastwarde. But vnto the trybe of Leui Moses gaue none enhery∣taunce, for the lorde god of Israel he is theyr enherytaunce, as he sayde vnto them.

¶ Caled requireth the enherytaunce that was promised hym, and Hebron was gyuen hym.

CAPI. XIIII.

ANd these are the countreys whiche the [unspec A] chyldren enherited in the lande of Ca∣naan, vnto whiche Eleazar the preest and Iosua the sonne of Nun, and the aunci∣ent heades of the tribes of the chyldren of Is¦rael, gaue them theyr enheritaunce by lot, as the lorde cōmaunded by the hande of Mo¦ses, to gyue vnto the nyne tribes, & vnto the halfe tribe of Manasses.

For Moses had gyuen enheritaunce vnto two tribes & an halfe on the other syde Ior∣dan. But vnto the Leuites he gaue none en∣herytaunce among them. For the chyldren of Ioseph were two tribes, Manasses and Ephraim. And therfore they gaue no parte vnto the Leuites in the lande, saue cities to dwell in, with the suburbes of the same, for theyr beastes and cattell.

As the Lorde cōmaunded Moses: euen so the chyldren of Israell dyd when they deuy∣ded [unspec B] the lande. And the chyldrē of Iuda came vnto Iosua in Gilgall. And Caleb the son of Iephune the ken••syte sayd vnto hym: thou wottest what the Lorde sayde vnto Moses the man of god, aboute my matter and thyne in Cades barne. Fourtye yere olde was I when Moses the seruaunt of the Lor•••• sent me from Cades barne to spye out the lande. And I brought hym worde agayn euen as it was in myne herte. Neuertheles my brethren that went vp with me, dyscouraged the herts of the people. And I folowed the lorde God.

And Moses sware the same day, sayenge: [unspec C] The lande wheron thy feete haue troden, shall be thyne enheritaunce & thy chyldrens for euer, bycause thou hast folowed the lorde God. And beholde the Lorde hath kepte me alyue (as he sayde,) this fourtye and fyue yeres, euen synce the Lorde spake this worde vnto Moses, whyle the chyldren of Israell wandered in the wyldernesse. And nowe ••o, I am this day foure score and fyue yere olde & yet am as stronge at this tyme, as I was when Moses sent me: loke howe stronge I was then, so stronge am I nowe, whyther I go to warre, or come agayne.

Now therfore gyue me this moūtayne wher∣of [unspec D] the Lorde spake in that day, for thou her∣dest in that day, how the Enakims are there and the cities great and walled. Peraduen∣ture the Lorde wyll be with me, and I shall be able to dryue them out, as the lorde sayde. And Iosua blessed hym, & gaue vnto Caleb the son of Iephune, ☞ Hebron to enherite. And Hebron therfore became the enheritaūce of Caleb the sonne Iephune the kenesite, vn¦to this day: bycause he folowed the lorde god of Israell. And the name of Hebron was called in olde tyme, Kariath arbe. For the same was a great man among the Enakims And the lande ceased from warre.

¶ The ••o••••e of the chyldren of Iuda, and the names of the Cityes and vyllages of the same.

CAPI. XV.

THis was the lot of the tribe of the chyl∣dren [unspec A] of Iuda by theyr kynreds: Name∣lye, towarde the border of Edom in the wyldernesse of Zin, southwarde, euen from the vttermost parte of the south coost. And theyr south coost was from the brynke of the salte see, frō a rocke that leaneth southward. And it wente out to the south syde, towarde the goynge vp to Acrabim, and wente along to Zinna, and ascended vp on the south syde vnto Cades Barne, & went along to Hezron, and went vp to Adar, and fet a compasse to Karea. From thence went it along to Azmon and reached vnto the ryuer of Egypte: and the ende of that coost was on the west syde. And this is theyr south coost.

Theyr East coost is the salt see, euen vnto [unspec B] the edge of Iordan. And theyr border in the north quarter was from the rocke of the see / and from the edge of Iordan. And the same border wente vp to Bethhagla, and wente a longe by the north syde of Betharabah, and vp from thence to the stone of Bohen the son of Ruben. And agayne the same border went vp to Dabir from the valey of Acor, and so nortwarde, turnynge towarde Gilgall, that lyeth before the goyng vp to Adonim, which is of the southsyde of the riuer. And the same border went vp to the waters of the foūtayn of the Son, and ended at the wel of Rogel. And then wente vp to the valey of the son of Hennon, euen vnto the south syde of Iebus••: the same is Ierusalem. And then went vp to the top of the hyll that lyeth before the valey of Hennon westwarde, and by the edge of the valey of the gyauntes northwarde.

And then it compasseth from the top of the hyll vnto the fountayne of the water of Nepthoah, & gothe out at the cities of mount Ephron: and draweth to Baala, which is Ki∣riathiarim, ❀ (that is a citye of vvoodes.) And then it compasseth from Balah westwarde, [unspec C] vnto mount Seir, and then goth alonge vn∣to the syde of mount Iarim, (whiche is Che∣salon) on the north syde. And cometh downe to Bethsames, and goth to Thamnah, and gothe out agayne vnto the syde of Akaron northwarde. And then draweh to Secron / and gothe a longe to mount Balah, & gothe out at Iabnel: and the endes of the coostes leaue at the West see. And the West border was the greate seel, and the same coost was the coost of the chyldren of Iuda rounde a∣boute in theyr kynreds.

And vnto Caleb the son of Iephune dyd Iosua gyue a parte amonge the chyldren of Iuda, accordynge to the mouthe of the lorde euen Kiriatharbe of the father of Enacke whiche Citie is Hebron. And Caleb droue thence the thre sonnes of Enacke, Sesai, and Ahman, and Thalmai, whiche were the son∣nes of Enacke. And he went vp thence to the enhabitours of Dabir. And the name of Da∣bir in the olde tyme was Kariah Sepher. ❀ (That is a Citye of letters.) And Caleb sayd he that smyteth Kariath Sephar / and ta∣keth it: to hym wyll I gyue Acsah my dough¦ter to wyfe.

And Othniel, the sonne of Kenes, the brother [unspec D] of Ealeb toke it. And he gaue hym Aesah his doughter to wyfe. And as she wente in vnto hym, she moued hym to aske of her father a felde. And she alyghted of her asse. And Ca∣leb sayd vnto her, what ayleth the? Who an sweted: gyue me a blessyng: for thou hast gy∣uen me a south ❀ (and drye) lande: gyue me also spryng{is} of water. And he gaue her spryn ges of water, bothe aboue and benethe. This is the enheritaunce of the trybe of the chyldren of Iuda, by theyr kynreds.

And the vttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Iuda, toward the coost{is} of Edom southwarde, were: Kabzel, Eder, and Iagur: Kinah, Dinmoah, & Adada: Kedes, Hazor & [unspec E] Iethnan: Ziph, Telem, and Baloth / Hazor / Hadathath / Karioth / Hesron (whiche is Ha∣zor) Eman, Sami, and Moladah: Hazarge∣dah, Hasmon and Bethpheleth: Hazar suall, Bersabe, and Baziothiah: Baalah, Iim, and Azen: Eltholad, Cesill, and Horma: Zikelag, Medemenah and Sensenah: Labaoth, Sel∣him, Am and Rimon: al these cities are. xxix. with theyr villages. And in the lowe coun∣trey they had Easthaol, Zareah, and Asenah: Zoneah, Enganim, Thaphuah and Enam: Ierimoth, Adulam, Socoh, & Azkah: Saarē Adithaim, Gederah, & Gederothaim. Four∣tene cities with theyr villages. Zenau, Hada zah, and Magdalgad: Deleam, Mizpa, and Iekthel: Lachis Bazcath and Eglon: Cabō Lahamam, and Cethlis Gaderoth, Bethda∣gon, [unspec F] Maamah and Makedah, Syxtene ci∣ties with theyr villages.

Lebnah, Ether, and Asan: Iephthah, As∣nah and Nezib: Keilah, Kahezip and Mare∣sah: nyne cities with theyr villages. Akron with her townes and villages. For Akron and from the west, all that lyeth aboute As∣dod with theyr villages, Asdod with her tow nes and villages, Azah with her townes and villages, cuen vnto the ryuer of Egypte: and the great see was theyr coost.

And in the mountaynes, they had Samir Iathir, and Socoh, Danah: and Kariah Se nath, whiche is Dabit: Anab, Esthemoh, and Anim, Gozen, Holon, and Giloh, eleuen Ci∣ties with theyr villages. Arab, Dumah, and Esean: Ianim, Beththaphuah and Apheah Numatah, and Kariath arbe: whiche is He∣bron, & Ziorinyne cities with theyr villages. [unspec G] Maon, Carmel, Siph, and Iutah: Iesraell, Iukadan, and Sanoeh: Cain, Gabaah, and Thamnah: ten cities with theyr villages. Halhul, Bethzur, & Gedor: Maarath, Betha noth, and Elthecon: Syxe cities with theyr villag{is}. Kariath Baal, which is Kariath Ia rim ❀ (the citye of vvoodes) & Harabba, two cities with theyr villages.

In the wyldernesse they had Betharabah Meddin and Sacacah: Nebson, the Citte of salte, and Engaddi: Syxe cities with theyr villages. Neuerthelesse, the Iebusites that were the enhabitours of Ierusalem, coulde not the chyldren of Iuda cast out. But the Iebusites dwelte with the chyldren of Iuda at Ierusalem, vnto this day.

¶ The ••otte or parte of Ephraim.

CAPI. XVI.

And the lot of the chyldren of Ioseph fel [unspec A] from Iordane by Iericho, vnto the wa¦ter of Iericho Eastwarde, and to the wyldernesse that gothe vp from Iericho tho∣rowout mounre Bethel: and gothe out from Bethel toLus, and runneth alonge vnto the borders of Arcimataroth: and gothe downe agayne westwarde, euen to the coost of Iaph letht, and vnto the cooste of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gasor, and the endes of theyr coostes leaue at the west see. And so the chyl∣drē of Ioseph Manasses and Ephraim toke theyr enheritaunce.

And the border of the chyldren of Ephraim [unspec B] was by theyr kynreds. Theyr border on the cast syde, was: Ataroth, Ador euen vnto Beh horon the vpper, and went out westwarde to Machmathah on the North syde, and retur∣neth eastwarde vnto Thaanath Silo, and past it on the East syde, vnto Ianoah, and went downe from Ianoah to Ataroth & Noa rath, and came to Iericho, and wente out at Iordan. And theyr border went from Thaph¦uah westwarde vnto the ryuer Kanah / and [unspec C] the endes were the weste See. This is the enheritaunce of trybe of the Chyldren of Ephraim by theyr kynreds.

And the seperate cities for the Chyldren of Ephraim / were amonge the enheritaunce of the chyldren of Manasses: euen the cities with theyr villages. And they draue not out the Cananites that dwelte in Gasar: but the Cananices dwelte among the Ephraites vn to this daye / and serued vnder tribute.

¶ The Lotte, or porcyon of the halfe trybe of Manasses. The Lananites ••re become try tutaryes to the Israelytes. Manasses & Ephraim require a greater proeyō of heritage.

CAPI. XVII.

This was the lot of the tribe of Manas∣ses [unspec A] whiche was the eldest sonne of Io¦seph. And Machir the eldest sonne of Manasses whiche was the father of Gilead (and a man of warte) had Gilead and Basan This was the possessyon of the reste of the

chyldren of Manasses by theyr kynreds: Na¦mely, of the chyldren of Abiezer: the chyldren of Helek••the chyldren of Ariell: the chyldren of Sichem, the chyldren of Hepher, the chyl∣dren of Semida: for these were the male chyl¦dren of Manasses, the sonne of Ioseph by theyr kynreds. But Zelaphead the sonne of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir the sonne of Manasses, had no sonnes but [unspec B] doughters whose names are these: Mahela Noa, Hagla, Melcha & Thirza: which came before Eleazar the Preest, and before Iosua the sonne of Nun, and before the Lordes say∣enge: the lorde cōmaunded Moses to gyue vs an enheritaunce amonge our brethren. And therfore accordynge to the cōmaunde∣ment of the Lorde, he gaue them an enhery∣taunce amonge the brethren of theyr father. And there fel ten poreyons to Manasses, be∣syde the lande of Gilead & Basan whiche is on the other syde Iordan: bycause the dough¦ters of Manasses dyd enherite amonge his sonnes. And Manasses other sonnes, had the lande of Gilead.

And the coost of Manasses was from Aser to Machmathah that lyeth before Sichem and went alonge on the ryght hande, euen vnto the enhabiters of Entaphuah, and the lande of Thaphuah belonged to Manasses whiche Thaphuah is besyde the border of Manasses, and besyde the border of the chyl∣dren of Ephraim. And the coost descended vn to the ryuer Eanah southwarde, euen to the ryuer of the cities of Ephraim, and bytwene the cities of Manasses. The coost of Ma∣nasses [unspec C] went also on the north syde to the ry∣uer, and the endes of it go out at the see: so that the South perteyned to Ephraim, and the north to manasses, & the see is his border And they met to gyther in Aser northwarde, & in Isacar eastwarde. And Manasses had in Isaear & in Aser, Bethsean, and her townes: Iiblean, and her townes: and the enhaby∣toures of Dor, with the townes perteynynge to the same: and the enhabitoures of Endor with the townes of the same: and the enhabi∣toures of Thaanath with her townes: and the enhabitoures of Magedo with the tow∣nes of the same, euen thre countreys. Yet the chyldren of Manasses coulde not ouercome those eities. But the Cananites presumed to dwell in the same lande. Neuerthelesse as soone as the chyldren of Israell were wared stronge, they put the Canaanites vnder tri∣bute, but expelled them not.

And the chyldren of Ioseph spake vnto Io∣sua, [unspec D] sayenge: Why hast thou gyuen me but one lot & one porcion to enheryt, seynge I am a great people, & for as moche as the Lorde hath blessed me hytherto? and Iosua answe∣red them: If thou be moche people, then get the vp to the wood countrey, and prepare for thy selfe there in the lande of the Pheresites and of the Giauntes, yf mounte Ephraim be to narow for the. And the chyldren of Ioseph sayd. The hyll is not ynough for vs: and all the Cananites that dwell in the lowe coun∣trey haue charet{is} of yron, & so haue they that enhabite Bethsean, & the townes of the same and they also that dwell in the valey of Iez∣reel. And Iosua sayde vnto the house of Io∣seph, Ephraim, and Manasses: ye be moche people, and haue great power, and shall not therfore haue one lot. Therfore the hyll shall be yours, and ye shall cut downe the woode that is in it: and the endes of it shalbe yours yf ye cast out the Cananites which haue yron charettes, and are very stronge.

¶ Lertayne are sente to de••yde the lande to the other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 trybes. The lotte of the Lhyldren of Ben Iamin.

CAPI. XVIII.

ANd the hoole congregacion of the chyl¦dren [unspec A] of Israel came togyther at Silo, & set vp the taberncle of wytnesse there, and the lande was in subieccion before them. And there remayned among the chyldren of Israel seuen tribes, whiche had not yet recey¦ned theyr enheritaūce. And Iosua sayd vnto the chyldren of Israel: howe longe are ye so slacke to come, and possesse the lande whiche the Lorde God of your fathers hath gyuen you? Gyue out from amonge you for euery tribe thre men, that I may sende them. And that they maye ryse, and walke thorowe the lande, and dystribute it accordyng to the en∣heritaunce therof, and come agayne to me. And let them deuyde it vnto them in to seuen [unspec B] partes. And Iuda shall abyde in theyr cooste on the south, and the house of Ioseph shall stande in theyr coost{is} on the northe. Describe ye the lande therfore in to seuen partes, and brynge the descripcion hyther to me, & I shall cast lottes for you here before the Lorde oure god. But the Leuites haue no parte among you, for the preesthode of the lorde is theyr en heritaunce. And Gad, and Ruben, & halfe the tribe of Manasses haue receyued theyr en heritaūce beyonde Iordan east warde: which Moses the seruaunt of the lorde gaue them.

And the men arose, & went theyr way. And Iosua charged them that wente to describe the lande, sayeng: departe, & go thorowe the lande, & describe it, and come agayne to me, that I maye here cast lottes for you before

the lorde in Silo. And the men departed, and [unspec C] walked thorowe the lande, and described it by cities in to seuen partes, in a boke, and re∣turned to Iosua into the hoost at Silo. And Iosua cast lottes for them in Silo before the lorde, and there Iosua deuyded the laude vn to the chyldren of Israell, to eche theyr por∣cion. And the lot of the tribe of the chyldren of Ben Iamin came vp accordynge to theyr kynreds. And the coost of theyr lot came out bytwene the chyldren of Iuda and the chyl∣dren of Ioseph. And theyr north coost was from Iordan, and went vp to the syde of Ie∣rico on the north syde, and wente vp thorowe the mountaynes westwarde, and they ended at the wyldernesse of Bethauen: & went from thence toward Lus, euen by the south syde of Lus (the same is Bethell,) and descended a∣gayne to Atcothadar, vnto the hylle that ly∣eth on the southsyde of the nether Bethhoron And the coost turneth thence, and cōpasseth the corner of the see southwarde, euen from [unspec D] the hylle that lyeth before Bethhoron south∣warde, and goeth out at Kiriathbaal, whiche is Kiriath Iarim, a Citye of the chyldren of Iuda: this is the west quarter: and the south coost goeth from the edge of Kiriathiarim, & goeth out westwarde, and thence it turneth to the water wel of Nepthoah, & cōmeth dowrie agayne to the edge of the hyll, that lyeth be∣fore the valeye of the sonne of Hennon / euen in the valeye of the Gyauntes northwarde / and descendeth into the valey of Hennon be∣syde Iebusi southwarde, and goth downe to the well of Rogell. And compasseth from the north, and goth forth to the wel of the sonne, and departeth from thence to the places of Geliloth, whiche are towarde the goynge vp vnto Adomim, & goeth downe to the stone of Bohan the sonne of Ruben: and then goeth alonge towarde the syde of the playne, north∣warde: and goeth downe into the feldes, and goth along to the syde of Bethhagiah north¦warde, and endeth at the poynt of the salt see north therfrō, euen at the south ende of Ior∣dane. This is the south coost.

And Iordane kepeth in this coost on the [unspec E] cast syde, and this is the enherytaunce of the chyldren of Beu iamin by theyr coost{is} round aboute thorowout theyr kynred{is}. These were the cityes of the trybes of the chyldrē of Ben Iamin thorowout theyr kynreds: Iericho, Bethhaglah, and the playne of Kaziz: Betha rabah, Zamarim and Bethel: Auim, Pharah and Ophrah: Cheper, Ammona, Ophni and Gabai, twelue Cityes with theyr vyllages. Gibeon, Ramah, and Beroth: Mazphah, Ca∣phairah, and Mozah: Rekem, Iarephel, and Tharela, Zela, Eleph, and Iebust, whiche is Ierusalem: Gibeath, and Kiriath, fourtene cities with theyr vyllages. This is the enhe∣ritaunce of the chyldren of Ben Iamin tho∣rowout theyr kynreds.

¶ The lottes or partes of habulon. Isachar. Aser. Nephthali, Dan and Iosua.

CAPI. XIX.

AND the seconde lot came out for the [unspec A] tribe of the chyldrē of Simeon by theyr kynreds. And theyr enherytaunce was in the myddes of the enheritaunce of the chyl¦dren of Iuda. And they had in theyr enheri∣taunce. Bersabe, Sabe, & Moladah, Hazor∣sual, Balah, & Azem, Eltholad Bethull and Hormah, Zikelag, Bethmarcaboth and Ha∣zetsusah, Bet••••••baoth, & Saruhen thyrtene cities w^t theyr villages. Aim, Remon, Ether, and Asan, foure cities with theyr villages: & therto all the villages that were rounde a∣boute these ••ities, euen vnto Balasath, Beor and Rama 〈◊〉〈◊〉, southwarde. This is the enhe∣ritaunce of ••••e tribe of the chyldren of Si∣meon thore••••out theyr kynteds. Out of the lot of the c••••••dren of Iuda, came the enhery∣taunce of t•••• chyldren of Simeon. For the parte of the chyldren of Iuda was to moche for them: and therfore the chyldren of Si∣meon had theyr enheritaunce in the enheri∣taunce of them. [unspec B]

And the thyrde lot arose for the chyldren of Zabulon thorowout theyr kynreds. And the coostes of theyr enheritaunce came to Sa¦rid, and went vp westwarde, and to Moria∣lah, and reached to Dabaseth, & came thence to the ryuer that lyeth before Iokneuen: and turned from Sarid eastwarde towarde the son rysyng vnto the border of Chisloth Tha¦bor: and then gothe out to Dabereth, & gothe vp to Iaphia: and from thence gothe a longe castwarde, to Gethah, Iepher, Ithah & Ia∣zim, and gothe to Remon, Methoer, & Neoh. And compasseth it on the north syde to Na∣than, and endeth in the valey of Iephthahel. And Iatath, Nahalol, Semron, Iedaiah, & Bethleem: twelue cities with theyr villages. This is the enheritaunce of the chyldren of Zabulon thorowout theyr kynreds, & these [unspec C] are the cities with theyr villages.

And the fourth lot came out for the chyldren of Isachar by theyr kynreds. And theyr coost was Iesraelah, Casuloth, and Sunem, Ha∣pharaim, Sion, and Anaharath: Harabith, Kision, and Abez: Rameth, Enganim, Enha∣dah, and Bethphazez. And his coost reacheth to Thabor, and Sahazimah & Bethsames,

and endeth at Iordan. Syxtene cyties with theyr villages. This is the enheritaunce of the trybe of the chyldren of Isachar by theyr kynreds. And these are the cityes with theyr villages. And the fyfte lotte came out for the tribe of the chyldrē of Aser by theyr kynreds.

And theyr coost was: Helkath, Hall, Be∣ten [unspec E] and Achsap: Alamelech, Amaad, & Mi∣seall: & came to Carmell westwarde, & to Si∣hor Labanath / & turned towarde the son ry∣synge to Bethdagon, & cōmeth to Zabulon, and to the valey of Iephthah, towarde the northsyde of Bethemek & Negell, and goeth out on the lefte syde of Cabul: and to Hehrō, Rohob, Hamon, & Kanah, euen vnto greate Sidō. And then the coost turneth to Ramah and to the stronge citye of Azor, & turneth to Hozah, & endeth at the see: by the possessyon of Achzibah: Amah also & Aphek, & Rohob: Twentye & two cityes with theyr villages. This is the enheritaunce of the Chyldren of Aser by theyr kynreds: These also are the ci∣tyes with theyr villages. And the syxte lotte came out for the Chyldren of Nephthalt by theyr kynreds. And theyr cooste was from Neleph & from Elom to Zaanaim, Adami, Nekeb, & Iabneell euen to Lakum, & doeth go out at Iordan. And then the coost turneth westwarde to Asanoth Thabor, & then goeth out from thence to Hukokah, & reacheth to Zabulon on the southe syde, & goeth to Aser on the west syde, and to Iuda vpon Iordane towarde the son tysynge. And theyr stronge cityes are Zidin, Ber, Hamath, Racath, and Cenereth, Adamah, Hermah, & Hazor: Ked{is}, Edrai, & Enhazor, Ieron, Magdelel: Horen, Bethanah, & Bethsames: nynetene cityes w^t theyr villages. This is the enherytaunce of the Trybe of the Chyldren of Nephthali by [unspec D] theyr kynreds: these also are the cityes and theyr villages. And the seuenth lotte came out for the trybe of the Chyldren of Dan by theyr kynreds. And the cooste of theyr enhe∣ritaunce was: Zaraah, Esthaoll.

Irsames, Saelabin, Aialon Iethlah: Eglon & Thēnathah & Akaron▪ Elthekeh, Gibethon, & Baalath: Iehud, Benebarak, & Gathermō, Meiericon and Aarcon, with the border that lyeth before Iapho. And the coo∣stes of the Chyldren of Dan went out from them. And the Chyldren of Dan went vp to fyght agaynst Lesen, and toke it, and smote it with the edge of the swerde, & cōquered it / and dwelte therin, & called it Dan after the name of Dan theyr father. This is the enhe∣ritaūce of the trybe of the Chyldren of Dan in theyr kinreds: these also are the cities with theyr vyllages. When they had made an ende of deuydyng the lande by her coost{is}, the Chyldren of Israell gaue an enherytaunce vnto Iosua the sonne of Nun among them, accordynge to the worde of the Lorde, they gaue hym the citye whiche he asked, euen Thānath serah in moūt Ephraim. And he buylte the citye & dwelte therin. These are the enheritaunces whiche Eleazar the preest & Iosua the son of Nun, & the auncyent Fa∣thers of the trybes of the chyldren of Israell deuyded by lotte in Siloh before the Lorde / in the dore of the tabernacle of wytnesse, & so they made an ende of deuidyng the coūtrey.

¶ The Cityes of refuge, or Sanctuaryes.

CAPI. XX.

THe Lorde also spake vnto Iosua, say∣enge: [unspec A] Speake to the chyldrē of Israel / and and saye: Appoynte out from among you cytyes of refuge, wherof I spake vnto you by the hande of Moses, that the sleyer that kylleth any persone vnwares, and vn∣wittyngly, may flee thyther. And those cities shal be your refuge frō the auenger of blood

And he that doth flee vnto one of those ci∣ties, shall stande at the enterynge of the gate of the citye / and shall shewe his cause in the eares of the elders of the citye. And they shal take hym into the citye vnto them, and gyue hym a place, that he may dwel among them.

And yf the auenger of blood folowe after [unspec B] hym, they shall not delyuer the sleyer into his hande: bycause he smote his frende ygno∣rantly, and hated hym not before tyme. And he shall dwell in the sayde citye ☞ vntyll he stande before the congregacyon in Iudge∣ment, and vntyll the death of the hye preest that shall be in those dayes: for then shall the sleyer returne, & come vnto his owne Citye / and vnto his owne house, and vnto the citye from whence he fled.

And they ☞ sanctifyed Kedes in Galile / in mount Nephthali, and Sichem in mount [unspec C] Ephraim, and Kiriatharbe (which is Ebrō) in the mountayne of Iuda. And on the other syde Iordā ouer agaynst Ierico Eastwarde, they appoynted Bozor in the wyldernes vpō the playne, out of the trybe of Ruben: & Ra∣moth in Gilead out of the trybe of Gad: and Golā in Basā out of the trybe of Manasses.

These were the Cityes appoynted for all the chyldren of Israel, & for the straūger that sosourned among them, that whosoeuer kyl∣led any person ygdorauntly, the same myghte∣flee thyther, & shulde not dye by the hande of the auenger of bloode, vntyll he stode before the congregacion ❀ (to declare his cause.) 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

the aulter of the Lorde oure God. Dyd not Acan the son of Zareh trespasse in the excom¦municate thyng, and wrath fell on all the cō∣gregacyon of Israell, so that he alone perys∣shed not for his wyckednesse?

Then the chyldren of Ruben, & the chyldē [unspec E] of Gad, & halfe the tribe of Manasses answe¦red, & sayde vnto the heades ouer the thou∣sandes of Israell: The God of Goddes, the Lorde God of goddes, euen the lorde he kno∣weth, & Israell also shall know. Yf it be to re∣bell, or to transgresse agaynst the Lorde, then thou Lorde saue vs not this daye. Or els yf we haue buylde vs an aulter to turne from folowyng the lorde, or to offre theron burnt∣offerynge, or meatofferynge, or to offre peace offerynges theron: Let the lorde require it ❀ (and iudge.) And yf we haue not rather done it of a carefulnes, and of a sure occasyon, say¦enge: In tyme to come your chyldren myght saye vnto oures: what haue ye to do with the Lorde God of Israell? the Lorde hath made Iordan a border bytwene vs & you (ye chyl∣dren of Ruben and of God) ye haue no parte therfore in the lorde: & so shall your chyldren make our childrē cease frō fearyng the lorde.

Therfore we ❀ (toke better aduisement, [unspec F] and) sayde: We wyll make vs an aulter, not for burntofferynge, nor for sacrifyce, but for a wytnesse bytwene vs & you, & oure gene∣racyons after vs, that we shulde serue the lorde, with our offerynges, sacrifices, & peace offerynges before hym: and that youre chyl∣dren shulde not say to ours in tyme to come: Ye haue no parte in the lorde. Therfore sayde we, that yf they shulde so saye to vs or to our generacyons in tyme to come, that we wolde saye agayne: Behold, the facion of the aulter of the lorde, whiche our Fathers made, ney∣ther for burntoffryng{is}, nor sacrifices, but for a wytnesse bytwene vs and you. God forbyd, that we shulde rebell agaynst the Lorde, and turne this daye from after hym, and buylde any other aulter for burntofferynges, obla∣cions, or sacrifices, saue the aulter of the lord our God, that is before his tabernacle.

And when Phinehes the Preest, and the [unspec G] lordes of the congregacion and heades ouer the thousandes of Israell whiche were with hym, herde these wordes that the chyldren of Ruben, & the chyldren of Gad, and the chyl∣dren of Manasses spake, they were well con∣tent. And Phinehes the sonne of Eleazar the preest sayde vnto the children of Ruben, and to the chyldren of Gad, and to the chyldren of Manasses: this daye we perceyue, that the lorde is among vs, bycause ye haue not done this trespasse agaynst the Lorde: Nowe ye haue ryd the Chyldren of Israell out of the hande of the Lorde. And Phinehes the Son of Eleazar the preest with the Lordes, retur∣ned from the Chyldren of Ruben, & from the Chyldren of Gad out of the lande of Gilead vnto the lande of Canaan, to the chyldren of Israell, & brought them this worde agayne. And the sayenge pleased the chyldren of Is∣raell, & they ☞ blessed God, and dyd not en∣tende to go agaynst them in battayle, and to destroye the lande which the chyldren of Ru∣ben & Gad dwelte in. And the chyldren of Ru¦ben, & the Chyldren of Gad called the aulter: Our wytnesse, that the Lorde is God.

¶ Iusua. exhorteth the people, that they ioyne not them selues to the gentyles.

CAPI. XXIII.

ANd it came to passe a longe ceason after [unspec A] that the lorde had gyuen reste vnto Is∣raell from all theyr enemyes rounde a∣boute, that Iosua waxed olde, & was stryckē in age. And Iosua called for all Israell, and for theyr elders, theyr heades, theyr Iudges, and officers, and sayd vnto them: I am olde and stryken in age. And ye haue sene all that the Lorde your God hath done vnto all these nacions before you, howe the lorde your god hath fought for you. Beholde, I haue sub∣dued vnto you these nacyons that remayne, to be an enheritaunce for your trybes: euen from Iordane, and (from the lande) of all the nacions that I haue destroyed, euen vn∣to the great See, westwarde. ❀ (And there remayne yet many nacyons.) And the Lorde your God shall expell them before you, & cast them from out of your syght, and ye shal con¦quere theyr lande, as the Lorde your GOD hath sayde vnto you.

Go to therfore as strongly as ye maye, that ye take hede and do all that is wrytten [unspec B] in the booke of the lawe of Moses, that ye bowe not a syde therfrom, to the ryght hande or to the lefte, and lest that when ye come a∣monge these nacions, (euen amonge these that are lefte with you) ye make mencion or sweare by the names of theyr Goddes: and that ye neyther serue them, nor bowe youre selues vnto them. But that ye stycke fast vn∣to the lorde your God, as ye haue done vnto this daye.

So shall the Lorde cast out before you [unspec C] great nacyons & myghtye, as no man hath ben able to stand before you hytherto. One man of you shall chase a thousande: for the lord your god he fyghteth for you, as he hath promysed you. Take good hede therfore vn∣to your

soules, that ye loue the Lorde youre god. Els, yf ye go backe, & cleue vnto the rest of these nacyons that remayne with you, & shall make maryages with them, and go in vnto them, and they to you, be ye sure, that the lorde youre god wyll no more cast out all these nacions from before you. But they shall be snares and trappes vnto you, and scourg{is} in your sydes, & pryck{is} in your eyes, vntyll ye perysshe from of this good lande, which the Lorde your God hath gyuen you.

And beholde, this day, do I entre in to the [unspec D] waye of all the worlde, & ye know in all your hertes & in all youre soules, that nothynge hath fayled of all the good thynges whiche the Lorde your God promysed you: But all are come to passe, and nothynge hath fayled therof. Therfore as all good thynges are come vpon you, whiche the Lorde youre god promysed you, so shall the Lorde brynge vpō you all euyll, vntyll he haue destroyed you from of this good lande, whiche the Lorde your GOD hath gyuen you, when ye haue transgressed the appoyntment of the Lorde your God, whiche he commaunded you: and haue gone and serued straunge goddes / and bowed youre selues to them. Then shall the wrath of the Lorde ware hoote vpon you, & ye shall perysshe quyclye from of the good lande, whiche he hath gyuen you.

¶ Iosua exhorteth the people to the kepynge of the law, He dyeth. The bones of Ioseph are buryed. Eleazar dyeth.

CAPI. XXIIII.

ANd Iosua gathered all the Trybes of [unspec A] Israell to Sichem, and called for the elders of Israell, and for theyr heades, Iudges and offycers, & they presented them selues before God. And Iosua sayde vnto al the people: thus sayeth the Lorde God of Is∣raell: Youre Fathers dwelte on the other syde of the floode in olde tyme: euen Thareh the father of Abraham and of Nachor, and serued straunge goddes. And I toke your fa∣ther Abraham frō the other syde of the flood, and brought hym thorowout all the lande of Canaan, and multiplyed his seede, & gaue hym Isaac. And I gaue vnto Isaac, Iacob and Esau. And I gaue vnto Esau mount Seir, to possesse it. But Iacob and his chyl∣dren went downe into Egypt. I sent Moses also and Aaron. And I plaged Egypt: and whē I had so done amonge them, I brought you out, and I brought your Fathers out of Egypte.

And as they came vnto the see, the Egypti∣ans [unspec B] folowed after your fathers w^t charettes and horsmen, vnto the red see. And when they cryed vnto the lorde, the lorde put dark∣nesse bytwene you and the Egyptians, and brought the see vpon them, & couered them. And your eyes haue sene what I haue done to the Egiptians. And ye dwelt in the wylder¦nesse a longe ceason. And I brought you into the lande of the Amorytes, whiche dwelt on the other syde Iordane. And they fought with you: and I gaue them into your hande, that ye myght conquere theyr countrey. And I destroyed them from out of your syght.

Then Balac the Son of Ziphor, kynge of Moab arose, and warred agaynst Israel, and sent & called Balaam the sonne of Beor, for to curse you. But I wolde not herken vn∣to Balaam, & therfore he rather blessed you: And so I deliuered you out of his hande. And ye went ouer Iordan, & came vnto Ie∣rico, & the men of Ierico fought agaynst you: the Amorites, Pheresites, Canaanites, He∣thites, Girgosites, Heuites, & Iebusites, and I deliuered them into your hande. [unspec C]

And I sent hornettes before you, which cast them out of youre syght: euen the two kynges of the Amorytes, but not with youre owne swerde, or with youre owne bowe. And I haue gyudn you a lande, in whiche ye dyd no labour, & cityes, whiche you buylde not, & whiche ye dwell in: vincyeardes also, & olyue trees whiche ye planted not, & wherof ye do eate. Nowe therfore feare the lorde, & serue hym in perfytenesse & truthe: And put away the goddes, whiche your Fathers serued on the other syde of the floode, and in Egypte, and serue ye the Lorde.

And yf it seme euyll vnto you to serue the lorde, then chose you this day whome you wyll serue: whyther the goddes whiche your fathers serued (that were on the other syde of the stoode) eyther the Goddes of the Amori∣tes, in whose lande ye dwell. As for me / and my house, we wyll serue the Lorde.

The people answered and sayd: God for∣byd, [unspec D] that we shulde forsake the lorde, & serue straunge goddes. For the Lorde our God, he it is that brought vs and oure fathers out of the lande of Egypt, & from the house of bon∣dage, & whiche dyd those greate myracles in our syght, & preserued vs in all the way that we went, & amonge all the nacyons whiche we came thorowe. And the Lorde dyd cast out before vs all the nacions: specially, the Amo∣rites, which dwelt in the lande. And therfore wyl we also serue the lorde, for he is our god.

And Iosua sayde vnto the people: Ye can [unspec E] not serue the Lorde: for he is an holye God,

and a ielous god, and can not beare your ini∣nutte and syn. If ye forsake the lorde, & serue straunge goddes, he wyll turne and do you euyll, & consume you, after that he hath done you good. And the people sayde vnto Iosua: naye, but we wyll serue the lorde. And Iosua sayde vnto the people: ye are wytnesses your selues, that ye haue thosen you the Lorde, to serue hym: and they sayde: we are wytnesses. Then put awaye (sayde he) ☞ the straunge goddes which are amonge you, & bowe your hertes vnto the Lorde God of Israell. The people sayde vnto Iosua: the Lorde our god wyll we serue, and his voyce wyll we obey. [unspec F]

And so Iosua made a couenaunt with the people the same daye, and ☞ set an ordi∣naunce and lawe before them in Sichem. And Iosua wrote these wordes in the booke of the lawe of god, and toke a great stone, and pytched it on ende in the sayd place, euen vnder an oke that was in the sanctuarye of the Lorde. And Iosua sayd vnto all the peo∣ple: beholde, this stoone shall be a wytnesse vnto vs, for it hath herde all the wordes of the Lorde whiche he spake with vs. It shall be therfore a wytnesse vnto you, leest ye de∣nye ❀ (and dissemble vvith) youre God. And so Iosua let the people departe, euery man vnto his enheritaunce.

And after these thynges it came to passe / [unspec G] that Iosua the Sonne of Nun, the seruaunt of the Lorde dyed, beynge and hundreth, and ten yeares olde. And they buryed hym in the countrey of his enheritaūce, euen in Th••∣nath Sareh, whiche is in mount Ephraim, on the north syde of the hyll of Gaas.

And Israell serued the Lorde all the dayes of Iosua, and all the dayes of the El∣ders that ouer lyued Iosua, and whiche had knowen all the workes of the Lorde that he had done for Israell. And the bones of Io∣seph, whiche the chyldren of Israell brought out of Egypt, buryed they in Sichem in a parcell of grounde, whiche Iacob bought of the sonnes of Hemor the father of Sichem, for an hundred peces of syluer, and it be∣came the enheritaunce of the Chyldren of Ioseph. And Eleazar the Sonne of Aaron dyed, whome they bu∣ryed in a hyll that perteyned to Phinehes his sonne, whiche (hyll) was gyuen hym in mounte Ephraim.

The ende of the boke of Iosua / whom the Hebrues call Iehosua.

❧ The Boke of Iudges / called in the Hebrue Sophtim: and in the Latyn Iudicum.

¶ After Iosua was deade. Iuda was constytute Lorde ouer the Armye.

CAPI. Primo.

AFter the death of Iosua [unspec A] it came to passe, that the Chyl∣dren of Israell asked the Lorde, sayenge: who shall go vp for vs agaynst the Canauites, and who shall fyrste fyght agaynst them. And the Lorde sayde: ☞ Iuda shall go vp: beholde I haue de∣lyuered the lande in to his handes. And Iu∣da sayd vnto ☞ Simeon his brother: come vp with me in my lot, that we maye fyght a∣gaynst the Cananites: And I lykewyse wyll go with the in to thy lotte. And so Simeon went with hym. And Iuda went vp, and the Lorde deliuered the Cananites, and Phere∣sytes in to theyr handes. And they slewe of them in Bezeke ten thousand men. And they founde ☞ Adonibezeke in Bezeke. And they fought agaynst hym, and slew the Cananites and Pheresites. But Adonibezeke fled, and they folowed after hym, and caught him, and cut of his thombes, and his great toos. [unspec B]

And Adonibezeke sayd: thre score and ten kynges hauynge theyr thombes and greate toos cut of, gathered theyr meate vnder my table: as I haue done, so God hath done to me agayne. And they brought hym to Ieru∣salem, and there he dyed. The Chyldren of Iuda fought agaynst Ierusalem, and toke it and smote it with the edge of the swerde, and set the citye on fyre. Afterward the chyl∣dren of Iuda went to fyght agaynst the Ca∣nanytes, that dwelt in the mountayne, and towarde the south, and in the lowe countrey. And Iuda went agaynst the Cananites that dwelte in Hebron, whiche before tyme was called Kariath Arbe. And slewe Sesai, Ahi∣man and Thalmai. And from thence they went to the inhabyters of Dabir, whose name in olde tyme was called kariathsepher ❀ (that is a citye of letters.)

And Caleb sayde he that smyteth Ka∣riathsepher, [unspec C] & taketh it, to hym wyll I gyue Aesah my doughter to wyfe: And Othoniell the Sonne of Kenez Calebs yonger brother toke it: to whom he gaue Acsah his douhhter to wyfe, and as they went, she coūsayled him to Aske of her Father a felde. And then she

lyghted of her Asse, and Caleb sayde vnto her: What ayleth the? She answered vnto hym: gyue me a blessyng: for thou hast gyuen me a Southwarde (or drye) lande, gyue me also sprynges of water. And Caleb gaue her sprynges bothe aboue and benethe. And the Chyldren of ☞ the Kenite, Moses father in law went vp out of the citye of palme trees with the Chyldren of Iuda in to the wylder∣nesse of Iuda, that lyeth in the south of Arad and they went & dwelt amonge the people.

And Iuda went with Simeon his bro∣ther, [unspec D] and they slewe the Cananytes that en∣habyted Zephath / and vtterlye destroyed it, and called the name of the citye Horma.

And at the laste Iuda toke Azah with the coostes therof, and Askalon with the coostes therof, and Akaron with the coostes therof. And the Lorde was with Iuda, and he con∣quered the moūtaynes, but coulde not dryue out the enhabyters of the valeyes / bycause they had charettes of yron. And they gaue Hebrou vnto Caleb, as Moses sayde. And he expelled▪thence the thre sonnes of Enach

And the Chyldren of Ben Iamin dyd not cast out the Iebusites, that enhabyted [unspec E] Ierusalem, but the Iebusytes dwelte with the Chyldren of Ben Iamin in Ierusalem ☞ vnto this daye. And in lyke maner they that were of the house of Ioseph went vp to Bethell, and the Lorde was with them, and the house of Ioseph scarched oute Bethell, whiche before tyme was called Lus. And the spyes sawe a man come out of the Citye, and they sayde vnto hym: shewe vs the waye into the citye, and we wyll shewe the merry. And when he had shewed them the waye into the citye, they smote it w^t the edge of the swerde / but let the man and all his houshold go fr••e. And the man went in to the lande of the He∣thites, and buylde a citye, & called the name therof Lus, whiche is the name therof vnto this dayes.

[unspec F] Neyther dyd Manasses expell Bethseā with her townes, Thaanach w^t her townes / the enhabitours of Dor / with her townes / the enhabitours of Ieblaā with her townes, neyther the enhabytours of Magedo with her townes, but the Cananites were bolde to dwell in the lande. But it came to passe, that as soone as Israel was waxed myghty, they put the Cananytes to trybute, and expelled them not. In lyke maner Ephraim expelled not the Cananytes that dwelte in Gazer, but the Cananites dwelte styll in Gazer amonge them. Neyther dyd Zabulon expell the enha∣bytours of Ketron, neyther the enhabytours of Nahaloll: But the Cananytes dwelte a∣monge them, and became tributaryes.

Neyther dyd Aser cast out the enhaby∣tours of Acho, neyther the enhabytours of [unspec G] Zidon, and of Ahalab, Aczib, and Halbah / Aphek, nor of Rohob, but the Aserites dwelt amonge the Cananytes, the enhabytours of the lande, for they myght not dryue them out Neyther dyd Nepthalim dryue out the enha¦bytours of Bethsames, nor the enhabytours of Bethanath, but dwelte amongest the Ca∣nanites the enhabitours of the lande. Neuer thelesse the enhabytours of Bethsames & of Bethanath became trybutaryes vnto them.

And the Amorites troubled the Chyldren of Dan in the mountayne, and suffered them not to come downe to the valeye. And the A∣morites were content to dwel in mounte He∣res ❀ (vvhich is by interpretacyon, a vvitnes∣ynge,) in Hailon and in Salabim. And the hande of Ioseph preuayled, so that they be∣came trybutaryes. And the coost of the Amo∣rytes was from the goynge vp to Acrahim, and from the rocke vpwarde.

¶ The angell rebuketh the people, bycause they had ma•••• peace with the Lana••ites. I dointrers are pu••••sshed.

CAPI. II.

ANd ☞ the Angell of the Lorde came [unspec A] vp from Gilgall to ☞ Bochim, & sayd: I made you to come out of Egypt, and haue brought you vnto the lande whiche I sware vnto youre fathers. And I sayde: I wyll not breake myne appoyntment that I made with you. And ye also shall make no couenaunt w^t the enhabytours of this lande, but shall breake down•• theyr aulters: Neuer thesse ye haue not herkened vnto my voyce / why haue ye this done? Wherfore I haue lykewyse determyned, that I wyll not cast them out before you: but they shall be thor∣nes vnto you, and theyr Goddes shall be a snare vnto you. And when the angell of the Lorde spake these wordes vnto all the Chyl∣dren of Israel, the peple cryed out and wept.

And called the name of the sayde place [unspec B] Bochim, and offered Sacrifyces vnto the Lorde. And when Iosua had sente the peo∣ple away, the chyldren of Israell went euery man into his enherytaunce, to possesse the lande. And the people serued the Lorde all the dayes of Iosua, and all the dayes of the elders that out lyued Iosua, and had sene al the great workes of the lorde that he dyd for Israell. And Iosua the Sonne of Nun the seruaunt of the Lorde dyed, when he was an hundred and ten yeares olde: whome they buryed in the coostes of his enherytaunce:

euen in ☞ Thamnath Hares in mount E∣phraim, on the northsyde of the hyll Gaas. And euen so al that generacyon were put vn¦to theyr fathers, and there arose another ge∣neracyon after them whiche neyther knewe the Lorde, nor yet the workes whiche he had done for Israell. And then the Chyldren of Israell dyd wyckedlye in the syght of the Lorde, and serued ☞ Baalim, & forsoke the Lorde god of theyr fathers, whiche brought them out of the lande of Egypt, and folowed straunge goddes: euen the god{is} of the nacy∣ons that were round about them, and bowed themselues vnto them, & angred the Lorde.

They forsoke the Lorde, and ☞ ser∣ued [unspec C] Baall and Astharoth. And the wrathe of the Lorde waxed hoote agaynst Israell, and he delyuered them into the handes of raue∣ners, that spoyled them, and solde them into the handes of theyr enemyes rounde aboute them, so that they had no power any longer to stand before theyr enemyes. But whyther soeuer they went out, the hande of the Lorde was agaynst them with euyll lucke, euen as the Lorde promysed them, and as he sware vnto them. And he punysshed them sore. Neuerthelesse the Lorde raysed vp Iudges, whiche delyuered them out of the handes of theyr oppressers, & yet for all that they wolde not herken vnto theyr Iudges: But rather went a hoorynge after straunge goddes, and bowed themselues vnto them, and turned quycklye out of the waye, whiche theyr Fa∣thers walked, in obeyenge the commaunde∣mentes of the Lorde: But they dyd not so.

And when the lorde raysed them vp Iud∣ges, [unspec D] he was with the Iudge, and delyuered them out of the handes of theyr enemyes all the dayes of the Iudge, for the Lorde had compassyon ouer theyr sorowynges, whiche they had, by the reason of them that oppres∣sed them and vexed them: yet for all that as soone as the Iudge was deade, they turned and dyd worsse then theyr Fathers, in folo∣wynge straunge Goddes, and in seruynge them, and ceased not from theyr owne inuen∣cyons, nor from theyr malicyous way.

And the wrath of the Lorde was moued a∣gaynst Israell, and he sayde: bycause this people hath transgressed myne appoyntment which I cōmaunded theyr fathers, and haue not herkened vnto my voyce, I wyll hence forth not cast out before them one man of the nacyons, whiche Iosua lefte when he dyed / that through them I maye proue Israell, whyther they wyll kepe the waye of the lorde, & walke therin, as theyr fathers dyd, or not. And so the Lorde lefte those nacyons, and droue them not out immedyatly, neyther de∣lyuered them into the hande of Iosua.

¶ Othonyell delyuereth Israell. Ahud kylleth kynge Eglon. Samgar kylleth the Phelystines.

CAPI. III.

THese are the nacyons whiche the Lorde [unspec A] lefte, that he myght proue Israell by them: euen as many of Israell as had not knowen all the warres of Canaan: onlye for the lernyng of the generacion of the chyl∣dren of Israel: that he also myght teach them warre, in asmoche as they that were before them, ☞ knewe nothynge therof. Of those whome he lefte, there were fyue lordes of the Philistines, and all the Cananytes, and the Sidonytes, and the Heuites that dwelte in mount Libanon: euen fram mount Baall Hermon vnto Hemath. Those remayned to proue Israell by, and to wete, whyther they wolde herken vnto the cōmaundementes of the Lorde, whiche he commaunded theyr Fa∣thers by the hande of Moses.

And the Chyldren of Israell dwelte a∣monge the Cananites, Hethites, Amorites / Pheresytes, Heuites, and Iebusytes, & toke the doughters of them to be theyr wyues, and gaue theyr owne doughters to theyr son¦nes, and serued theyr Goddes. And the chyl∣dren of Israel dyd wyckedlye in the syght of [unspec B] the Lorde, and forgat the Lorde theyr God, and serued Baalim & Aseroth. Therfore the Lorde was angrye with Israell, and delyue∣red them into the hand{is} of Chusā Risathaim kynge of Mesopotamia, and the chyldren of Israell serued Chusā Risathaim. viii. yeres.

And when the Chyldren of Israell cryed vnto the Lorde, the Lorde styrred ☞ vp a sauyour, to the Chyldren of Israell, & saued them: one Othoniell the Son of Kenes, Ca∣lebs yonger brother. And the spiryte of the Lorde came vpon hym. And he iudged Is∣raell, and went out to warre. And the Lorde delyuered Chusan Risathaim kyng of Me∣sopotamia into his hande, & his hande pre∣uayled agaynst Chusan Risathaim. And the lande had rest fourtye yeres. And Othoniel the son of Kenes dyed. And the Chyldren of Israell went to agayne, & cōmytted wycked∣nesse in the syght of the lorde. And the Lorde strengthed Eglon the kynge of the Moabi∣tes, agaynst the Chyldren of Israell, bycause they had commytted wyckednesse before the Lorde. And this (Eglon) gathered vnto hym the chyldren of Ammon, & the Amalekites, & went and smote Israell, and conquered the citye of Palme trees. And so the Chyldren of

Israel serued Eglō the kyng of Moab. xviii. yeres. But whē they cryed vnto the lorde, the lorde styrred them vp a sauiour, Ahud the son of Gera the son of Iemini, a man that coulde do nothyng handsomly w^t his ryght hande.

And by hym the chyldren of Israell sent a [unspec C] present vnto Eglon the kyng of Moab: but Ahud made hym a dagger with two edges, of a cubite lengthe, and he dyd gyrde it vnder his rayment vpon his ryght thyghe, and ca∣ried the present to Eglon the kyng of Moab: And Eglon was a very fat man. And it for∣tuned that when he had presented the present he sent the people that bare it awaye, but he hymselfe turned agayne (from the place of grauen ymages, that was by Gilgal) & sayd I haue a secret errande vnto the, O kynge. Whiche sayd: kepe sylence. And all that stode before hym, went out from hym.

And Ahud came vnto hym, and in a somer parler, whiche he had, sat he hymselfe alone, and Ahud sayd, I haue a message vnto the from God. And he arose out of his seate. And Ahud put forth his lefte hande, and toke the dagger from his ryght thyghe, and thrust it into his bely, and the hafte went in after the blade. And the fat, closed the hafte, so that he myght not drawe the dagger out of his bely but the dyrte came out. Ahud gat hym out at a postren dore, and shut the dores of the par∣ler aboute hym, and locked them.

When he was gone out, his seruauntes [unspec D] came, and when they sawe that the dores of the parler were locked, they sayde: peraduen∣ture ☞ he couereth his feete in his somer chā¦ber. And they taryed tyll they were ashamed: And beholde, seynge he opened not the dores of the parler: they toke a key, & opened them. And beholde, theyr Lorde was fallen downe dead on the earth▪ And Ahud escaped (whyle they taryed) and was gone beyonde, to the place of the grauen ymages and escaped in¦to Seirath.

And when he was come he blewe a trom¦pet in mount Ephraim. And the chyldren of Israell wente downe with hym from the hyll and he went before them. And he sayde vnto them, folowe me: for the Lorde hathe delyue∣red your enemyes, the Moabites into youre hande. And they descended after hym, & toke the passages of Iordan, towarde Moab, and suffered not a man to passe ouer. And they slewe of the Moabites the same tyme vpon a ten thousande men, which were all fat & men of warre: and there scaped not a man, and so Moab was subdued that daye, vnder the hande of Israel: & the land had rest. lxxx. yer{is}.

After hym was Samgar the son of Anath whiche slewe of the Philistines. vi. hundred men with an oxe goade, and delyuered Is∣raell also.

¶ Debora & Barah delyuer Israel. Sisara is kylled of Ia••••

CAPI. IIII.

ANd the chyldrē of Israel began agayn [unspec A] to do wyckedly in the syght of the lorde when Ahud was deade. And the Lorde ☞ solde them into the hande of Iabin kyng of Canaan, that reygned in Hazor, whose cap¦tayne of warre was called Sisara, whiche dwelte in ☞ Haroseth of the gentyles. And the chyldren of Israel cryed vnto the Lorde: for he had nyne hundred charettes of yron, & twentye yeres he troubled the chyldrē of Is∣rael very sore.

And Debora a prophetesse, the wyfe of Lapi∣doth iudged Israel the same tyme, & the same Debora dwelte vnder a palme tree, bytwene Ramath and Bethel, in mount Ephraim. And the chyldren of Israel came vp to her for iudgement. And she sent & called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedes / Nephthalim, and sayd vnto hym.

Hath not the Lorde god of Israel cōmaun¦ded the, to drawe to mount Thabor, and take with the ten thousand men, of the chyldren of Nephthalim, and of the chyldrē of Zabulon? And I wyl bryng vnto the / to the ryuer Ki∣son, Sisara, the capitayne of warre vnto Ia∣bin, [unspec B] with his charettes, and his people, and wyl delyuer hym into thyne hand. And Ba∣rak sayd vnto her: yf thou wylt go with me, I wyll go: But & yf thou wylte not come w^t me, I wyll not go. She sayde: I wyll surely go w^t the, but this iourney that thou takest, shall not be for thyne honoure: for the Lorde shall sel Sisara into the hande of a woman. Debora went with Barak to Kedes. And Ba¦rak called Zabulon and Nephthalim to Ke∣des, and led after hym ten thousande men: & Debora went vp with hym.

But Haber the Kenite (whiche was of the chyldrē of Hobab, the father in lawe of Mo¦ses) remoued from the other Kenites, & pyt∣ched his tente vntyl the playne of Zaania••, whiche is by Kedes.

And they shewed Sisara, that Barak the sonne of Abinoam was gone vp to mounte Thabor. And Sisara gathered togyther all his charettes. euen. ix. hundred charettes of yron, & all the people that were with hym, frō Haroseth of the gentyles, vnto the ryuer of Kyson. And Debora sayd vnto Barak: Up, for this is the daye in whiche the Lorde hath delyuered Sisara into thyne hande.

Is not the Lorde gone out before the? And [unspec C] so Barak went downe from mount Thabor, and ten thousande men after hym.

But the Lorde destroyed Sisara, and all his charettes, and all his hoost with the edge of the swerde, before Barak: so that Sisara lyghted downe of his charet, and fled awaye on his feete. But barak folowed after the charettes, and after the hoost, euen vnto Ha∣roseth of the gentyles. And all the hoost of Sisara fell vpon the edge of the swerde, and there was not a man lefte. Howbeit Sisara fledde away on his feete to the tente of Iael the wyfe of Haber the Kenite: for there was peace bytwene Iabin the kynge of Hazor, & the housholde of Haber the kenite.

And Iael went out to mete Sisara, and sayde vnto hym: turne in my Lorde, turne in to me▪ feare not. And when he had turned in vnto her into her tent, she couered hym with a ☞ mantell. And he sayd vnto her: gyue me a lytell water to drynke, for I am thyrstye. [unspec D] And she opened a bottell of mylke, & gaue hym drynke, and couered hym. And agayne he sayd vnto her: stande in the dore of the tent and when any man dothe come and enquyre of the, whyther there be any man here: thou shalte say, nay.

Then Iael Habers wyfe toke a nayle of the tente, and an hammer in her hande, and went softly vnto hym, and smote the nayle in¦to the temples of his heade, and fastened it into the grounde, for he slombred sore, & was wery: And so he dyed. And behold, as Barak folowed after Sisara, Iael came out to mete hym, and sayde vnto hym: come, and I wyll shewe the, the man, whom thou sekest. And when he came into her tent: Beholde Sisara lay deade, and the nayle was in his temples. And so god brought Iaben the kynge of Ca∣naan into subieccyon that daye, before the chyldren of Israel And the hande of the chyl¦dren of Israell prospered, and preuayled a∣gaynst Iaben the kynge of Canaan▪ vntyll they had brought hym to nought.

¶ The songe and thankes gyuynge of Debora, and Barak after the vyctory••▪

CAPI. V.

THen Debora & Barak the son of Abino∣am [unspec A] sange the same day, saynge: Prayse ye the Lorde, ❀ for the auengynge of Israel, and for the people that became so wyllynge.

Heare O ye kynges, herken O ye prynces I, euen I, wyll synge vnto the Lorde, I wyl prayse the Lorde God of Israel.

Lorde when thou wentest out of Seir, when y^u departedst out of the felde of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heuens rayned: the cloudes also dropped water.

The mountaynes melted before the lorde euen as dyd Sinay, before the Lorde God of Israel. In the dayes of Samgar the son of Anath, in the dayes of Iael ☞ the hygh wayes were vnoccupyed: And the runners of the pathes walked thorowe bywayes.

The enhabiters of the townes were gone they were gone in Israell, vntyll I Debora came vp, which came vp a mother in Israel. ☞ They chose newe goddes, & then had they (the enemye) in the gates: There was not a shylde or spere sene among. xl. M. of Israel.

My herte loueth the gouernours of Israel [unspec B] and them that are wyllyng amonge the peo∣ple. O prayse ye the Lorde.

Speake ye that ryde on fayre asses, and that syt vppermost in iudgement, and walke by the wayes.

At the cryenge of the archers, amonge the drawers of water, there shall they speake of the ☞ ryghtousnes of the lorde: his rightous¦nes in the vnfenced places of Israel: thē shal the people of the lord go downe to the gates.

Up Debora vp, got the vp, & syng a songe: Aryse Barak, and ☞ leade the captiuite captyue, thou sonne of Abinoam.

Then shall they that remayne, haue do∣minion of the proudest of the people (of Ia∣bin.) The lorde shall for my sake haue domi∣nion ouer the myghtie. ☞ Out of Ephraim was there a rote of them agaynst Amalecke, and after the, Ben iamin among thy people▪ Out of Machir came rulers, & out of Zabu∣lon they that gouerne the pen of the wryter.

And of Isachar, there were prynces with Debora, Isachar also and Barak were sente on theyr f••te into the valey, when in depar∣tynge away of Ruben there were great men, and wyse of herte.

Why abodest thou amonge the shepe fol∣des, [unspec C] to heare the bleatynges of the flockes, & to seperate thy selfe awaye with great men, & wyse of herte.

Gilead also abode beyonde Iordane: and why dothe Dan remayne in shyppes.

Aser contynued on the see shore, & taryed in his decayed places.

But the people of Zabulon haue ieoperde theyr lyues euen vnto the death, lyke as dyd Nephthali in the hygh places of the felde.

The kynges came & fought, then fought the kyng{is} of Canaan in Thamah, by the wa¦ters of Megiddo, and wan no money.

They fought from heuen, euen the sterres in theyr courses fought agaynst Sisara.

The ryuer of Cyson remoued them, that auncient ryuer, the ryuer Cyson: My soule shall treade (hym) downe myghtely.

Then were the horse hoofes smytten asun¦der, by meanes of the praunsinges that theyr myghtye men made.

Curse ye the citye of Meros (sayd the an∣gel [unspec D] of the lorde) curse the enhabitours therof, bycause they came not ☞ to helpe the Lorde: to helpe the Lorde with the myghtye.

Iael the wyfe of Haber the Kenyte shalbe blessed aboue other women, blessed shall she be aboue other women in the tent.

He asked water, & she gaue hym mylke: she brought forth butter in a lordly dysshe.

She put her hande to the nayle, & her ryght hand to the smythes hammer: with the hammer smote she Sisera, & smote his head, wounded hym, and pearsed his temples.

He bowed hym downe at her feete, he fell downe & lay styll: At her feete he bowed hym downe, & fell. And when he had sonke downe he laye styll desolate.

The mother of Sisera loked out at a wyn∣dowe, and cryed thorowe the lattesse. Why is his charet so longe a comynge? Why cary the wheles of the cartes?

All the wyse ladyes answered her, yea & her owne wordes answered her selfe.

Surely they haue founde, they deuyde the spoyles: Euery mā hath a damsel or two: Si∣sera hath a pray of dyuerse coloured garmen¦tes, euen a pray of rayment dyed with sondry coloures, & that are made of nedle worke, ray¦ment of dyuers coloures and of nedle worke which is mete for him that is cheyfe in distri∣butyng of the spoyles. So peryshe all thy••e enemyes, O lorde: but they that loue hym, let them be as the Sonne when he ryseth in his myght. And the lande had rest fourtye yeres.

¶ Israell is oppressed of the Madianites: Gedeon is sent of God to be theyr delpue••••r.

CAPI VI.

ANd the chyldren of Israell cōmytted [unspec A] wyckednesse in the syght of the Lorde. And the Lorde delyuered them into the handes of Madiā seuen yeres. And the hand of Madian preuayled agaynst Israell, and bycause of the Madianites, the chyldren of Israell made them dennes in the mountay∣nes and caues and strong holdes. And when Israel had sowen, the Madianites, the Ama∣lechites, & they of the East countrey came vp togyther agaynst them, & pytched theyr ten∣tes agaynst▪ them, & destroyed the encrese of the earth, euen tyl thou come vnto Azah, and lefte no sustenaūce for Israel, neyther shepe, ore or Asse: for they went vp, they and theyr cattel & came with theyr tent{is} as a multitude of greshoppers: so that both they & also theyr camels were without nombre. And they en∣tred into the lande to destroy it. And so was [unspec B] Israel excedyngly impoueryshed in the sight of the Madianites, & cryed vnto the Lorde. And when the chyldren of Israel cryed vnto the lorde bycause of the Madiante▪ the lorde sent vnto them a prophet, whiche sayde vnto them: Thus sayth the lorde God of Israell: I fet you from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of bondage, and I ryd you out of the hande of the Egyptians, & out of the hande of al that oppressed you, and cast them out before you, and gaue you theyr lande.

And I sayd vnto you: I am the lorde your god, feare not the goddes of the Amorites in whose lande you dwell. But you haue not obeyed my voyce. And the angell of the lorde came, and sat vnder an Oke / whiche was in Ephrah, that perteyned vnto Ioas the fa∣ther of the Ezerites. And his sonne Gedeon pressed out wheate of the eares in a presse, to hyde it from the Madianites.

And the angel of the Lorde appeared vn∣to [unspec C] hym, and sayde: the lorde is with the, thou myghtye man of warre. And Gedeon answe∣red hym: Oh my Lorde, yf the Lorde be with vs, why is al this come vpon vs: yea & where be all his myracles whiche our fathers tolde vs of, and sayd▪ Dyd not the lorde brynge vs out of Egypte? but nowe the Lorde hath for∣saken vs, and delyuered vs into the handes of the Madianites. And the lorde loked vpō hym, and sayde: Go hence in this thy myght, and thou shalte delyuer Israell out of the handes of the Madianites: Haue not I sent the? And he answered hym: Oh Lorde, wher∣with shall I saue Israell? Beholde, my kyn∣red is poore in Manasses, and I am lytell in my fathers house. The lorde sayd vnto hym. I wyll be with the: and thou shalte smyte the Madianites, as they were but one man. And he answered hym: Oh, yf I haue foūde grace in thy syght, then shewe me a sygne, that it is thou that talkest with me. Departe not hence vntyll I come agayne vnto the, and tyll I bryng myne offrynge, & haue set it before the.

And he sayd: I wyll cary vntyl thou come [unspec D] agayne. And Gedeon wente in, and made re∣dye a kydde, and swete cakes of an Epha•• of floure, and put it with the flesshe in a basket, and put the broth in a pot, and brought it out vnto hym vnder the Oke, and presented it.

And the angell of god sayd vnto hym: take the flesshe and the swete cakes, and lay them

vpon this rocke, and powre out the broth.

And he dyd so. Then the angel of the Lorde put forth the ende of the staffe / that he helde in his hande, and touched the flesshe and the swete cakes. And there arose fyre out of the rocke, and consumed the flesshe and the swete cakes. But the angel of the Lorde vanysshed out of his syght. And when Gedeon percey∣ued that it was an angel of the lorde, he sayd Alas, O Lorde God, haue I therfore sene an angel of the lorde face to face, that shulde dye? And the Lorde sayd vnto hym: peace be vnto the, feare not, thou shalte not dye.

Then Gedeon made an aulter there vnto [unspec E] the Lorde, and called it: The Lorde of peace. And vnto this day it is yet in Ephrath, that perteyneth vnto the father of the Ezerites. And it fortuned that the same nyght the lord sayd vnto hym: take a yonge bullocke out of thy fathers droue, and another of. vii. yeres olde, and destroy the aulter of Baal that thy father hath, and cut downe the groue that is by it, and make an aulter vnto the Lorde thy God vpon the top of this rocke in a conueni∣ent place. And take the seconde bullocke, and offre burntsacrifice vpō the wod of the groue whiche thou shalte cut downe. Then Gedeon toke ten men of his seruauntes, and dyd as the Lorde bad hym. But bycause he durst not do it by day for feare of his fathers houshold & of the men of the citye, he dyd it by nyght.

And when the men of the citye were vp [unspec F] earlye in the mornyng: Beholde, the aulter of Baal was broken, and the groue cut downe that was by it, and the seconde bullocke offe∣red vpō the aulter that was made. And they sayde one to another: Who hathe done this thynge: and when they enquyred and asked, they sayde: Gedeon the sonne of Ioas hathe done this thynge. Then the men of the citye sayd vnto Ioas: bryng out thy sonne, that he may dye, bycause he hath destroyed the aul∣ter of Baal, & cut downe the groue that was by it. And Ioas sayde vnto all that stode by hym: wyll ye entreate for Baal? or wyll ye be his defēders: ☞ he that hath medled against hym, let hym dye or the mornynge. If he be a God, let hym be auenged of hym, that caste downe his aulter. And from that daye was Gedeon called ☞ Ierobaal, bycause his fa∣ther had sayd: Let Baal be auenged of hym, that hath broken downe his aulter.

All the Madianites therfore, & the Ama∣lekites and they of the east, were gathered to∣gyther, [unspec G] and went, and pytched in the valey of Izreel: But the spirite of the lorde came vpō Gedeon. And he blewe a trompet, and cal∣led Abiezar to folowe hym, and sent messen¦gers thorout al Manasses, and called them, which also dyd folowe hym. And he sent mes∣sengers vnto Aser, Zabulon, and Nephtha∣lim, and they came to mete hym.

And Gedeon sayd vnto god: yf thou wylt saue Israel in my hande, as thou hast sayde:

Beholde, I wyll put a fleece of wolle in the thresshynge place. And yf the dewe come on the fleece only, and it be drye vpon all the earthe besyde, then shall I be sure, that thou wylte saue Israel by my hande, as thou say∣dest. And it came so to passe. For he rose vp early on the morow, and thrust the fleece to∣gyther, and wrong the dewe therout, & fylled a bowle of water. And Gedeon sayde agayne vnto God: be not angrye with me, that I speake once more. For I wyll proue once a∣gayne by the fleece. Let it be drye onely vpon the fleece, and dew vpon all the grounde.

And god dyd so that same nyght: For it was drye vpon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the grounde.

¶ Gedeon with iii. hundred men ouercōmeth the Madianites. Oreb and zeb are sleyne.

CAPI. VII.

THen Ierobaal (otherwyse called Ge∣deon) [unspec A] and all the people that were with him, arose vp early and pytched besyde the well of Harad, so that the hooste of the Madianites were on the North syde of the rocke that boweth towarde the valey. And the Lorde sayd vnto Gedeon: the people that are with the, are to many for me to gyue the Madianites into theyr handes, leest Israell make theyr vaunte agaynst me, & saye: myne owne hande hath saued me. Nowe therfore make a proclamacyon in the eares of the peo¦ple, & say: Yf any man drede or be afrayde let hym returne & get him soone from mount Gilead. And there departed & returned of the people. xxii. thousande, & there abode ten. M. And the lorde sayd vnto Gedeon: the people [unspec B] are yet to many, bryng them downe vnto the water, and I wyll trye them vnto the there. And of whom I saye vnto the, this shall go with the, the same shal go with the. And who soeuer I say vnto the, this shall not go with the, the same shall not go. So he broughte downe the people vnto the water, & the lorde sayd vnto Gedeon: as many as lape the wa∣ter with theyr tong{is} as a dog doth, put them by them selues, and so do them that knele downe vpon theyr knees to drynke. And the nombre of them that put theyr hand{is} to theyr mouthes and laped, were thre hundred men.

But all the remenaunt of the people kneled

downe vpon theyr knees to drynke water.

And the Lorde sayde vnto Gedeon. By [unspec C] these iii. hundred men that laped water, wyll I saue you, and delyuer the Medianytes in to thyn hande. And let al the other people go euery man vnto his place. They therfore of the people toke vyrtayles with them, & theyr trompettes. And he sent at the rest of Israel, euery man vnto his tent, and cōforted those thre hundred with hym. And the hoost of Ma¦dian was beneth hym in a valeye. And it for∣tuned that the same nyght the lorde sayde vn¦to hym: Aryse, get the downe vnto the hoost, for I haue delyuered it in to thyne hande.

But and yf thou feare to go downe, then go thou, and Pharah thy lad downe to the hoost, and thou shalte herken what they say, and so shall thyne handes be stronge, to goo downe vnto the hoost. Then went he downe, and Pharah his ladde, euen harde vnto the men of armes that were in the hoost. And the Madianytes, the Amalekytes, and al they of the East, laye alonge in the valey, lyke a mul¦tytude of Greshoppers / and theyr Camelles were withoute nombre / euen as the sande by the see syde in multytude.

And when Gedeon was come: Beholde / [unspec D] there was a mā that tolde a dreame vnto his neyghbour, and sayde. Beholde, I dreamed a dreame, and me thought that a loofe of bar¦lye breade, tombled into the hoost of Madiā, and came vnto a tent and smote it that it fel / and ouerturned it that the tent laye alonge. And his felowe answered and sayde: this is nothynge els saue the swerde of Gedeon, the sonne of Ioas a man of Israell: for in to his hande hath God deliuered Madian, and all the hoost. When Gedeon herde the tellynge of the dreame / and the ☞ interpretacyon of the same, he worshypped, and returned vnto the hoost of Israell & sayde: Up, for the lorde hath delyuered in to youre hande the hooste of Madian.

And he deuyded the thre hundred men in [unspec E] to thre companyes, and gaue euerye man a Trompet in his hande, with an emptye pyt∣cher, and lampes therin, and sayd vnto them: loke on me & do lykewyse, that when I come to the syde of the hooste, euen as I do, so do you: When I blowe with a trompet, and all that are with me, blawe ye with trompettes also on euery syde of the hoost, and say: Here is the swerde of the Lorde / and of Gedeon.

And so Gedeon / and the thre hundren men that were with hym, came vnto the syde of the hoost in the begynnynge of the mydle watch and raysed vp the watche men.

And they blewe with theyr trompettes, & [unspec F] brake the pytchers that were in theyr handes And all the thre companyes blewe with trom pettes and brake the pytchers, and helde the lampes in theyr lefte handes, and the trom∣pettes in theyr ryght, to blowe withall. And they cryed: the swerde of the Lorde, & of Ge∣deon. And they stode styll, euery man in his place rounde aboute the hoost. And they w^tin the hoost, ran, and cryed, & fled. And the thre hundred blew with trompettes, and the lorde set euery mannes swerde vpon his neygh∣bour, thorowout all the hoost. And the hoost sted to Bethsitah, to Zererath, & to the edge of the playne of Maholah vnto Tabath.

And the men of Israel beyng gathered to∣gither [unspec G] out of the tribe of Nephthalim, of Aser & of all Manasses, folowed after the Madia¦nites. And Gedeon sent messengers vnto all moūt Ephraim, sayng: come downe agaynst the Madianites, & take before them the wa∣ters vnto Bethbarath & to Iordan. Then al the men of Ephraim gathered togyther, and toke the waters vnto Bethbarath, & to Ior∣dan. And they toke two captaynes of the Ma¦dianites, Oreb and Zeb, and slewe Oreb vpō the rocke Oreb, and Zeb at the presse Zeb, & folowed after Madiā. And brought the hea∣des of Oreb and Zeb, to Gedeon on the other syde Iordan.

¶ Ephraim maketh insurreciyon agaynst Gedeon, but is soon••y acifyed.

CAPI. VIII.

ANd the mē of Ephraim sayd vnto hym: [unspec A] why haste thou serued vs thus, that y^u calledst vs not, when thou wentest to fyght with the Madianites? And they chode with hym a good. ❀ (and had almost done him violence) And he sayd vnto them: What dede haue I done lyke vnto youres: ☞ is not a clustre of Ephraim better, then the wyne her∣uest of Abiezer? God hathe delyucred in to your handes the lordes of Madian, Oreb & Zeb, And what was I able to do lyke as you haue done? And then theyr spirites abated from of hym, when he had sayd that. And Ge¦deon came to Iordā to passe ouer, he and the thre hundred men that were with hym, very faynt, and yet folowed the chace. And he sayd vnto the men of Socoth: gyue I praye you [unspec B] cakes of breade vnto the people that folowe me: for they be fayntie, that I may folowe af∣ter Zebath and Zalmona kynges of Madiā And the lordes of Socoth sayd: are the han∣des of Zebath and Zalmona nowe in thyne handes, that we shulde gyue breade vnto thyne armye?

Gedeon sayde, therfore when the lorde hath delyuered Zebah, and Zalmona in to myne hande, I wyll teare the fleshe of you with the thornes of the wyldernesse, and with breers. And he went vp thence to Phanuel, & spake vnto them lykewyse. And the mē of Phanuel answereed hym, as dyd the men of Socoth. And he sayd also vnto the men of Phanuel: when I come agayne in peace, I wyl breake downe this towre.

Zebah and Zalmona were in Carkar, & [unspec C] theyr hoostes w^t them, vpon a. xv. thousande men, whiche were all that were lefte of al the hoostes of them of the East: For there were sleyne an hundred / and twentye thousande men, that drewe swerdes. And Gedeon wente thorowe them that dwelte in Tabernacles / on the east syde of Nebah and Iebahah, and smote the hoost: for the hoost dyd cast no per∣cyls. And when Zebah, and Zalmona fled, he folowed after them, and toke the two kyn∣ges of Madian, Zebah and Zalmona, and dyscomforted all the hoost.

And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas returned [unspec D] from battayle, before the sonne was dowe, & caught a lad of the men of Socoth, and en∣quyred of hym. And he wrote hym of the lor∣des and elders of Socoth. lxxvii. men. And he came vnto the men of Socoth, and sayde. Beholde, here I haue Zebah and Zalmona, with whiche ye dyd cast me in the teethe, say∣enge: are the handes of Zebah and Zalmona all redy in thyne hande, that we shulde gyue breade vnto thy faynty men? And he toke the elders of the citie, & thornes of the wyldernes and breers, & made the men of Socoth to fele them: & he brake downe the towre of Pha∣nuel, and slewe the men of the citye.

And then sayd he vnto Zebah & Zalmona [unspec E] what maner of men were they whom ye slew at Thabor? and they answered: the lyenesse of the & them is all one, euen after the fassion of the chyldren of a kyng. And he sayde: they were my brethren, euen my mothers chyldrē. As truely as the lorde lyueth, yf ye had saued theyr lyues, I wold not sley you. And he sayd vnto Iether his eldest son: vp, and slee them: But the lad drewe not his swerde, ☞ for he feared, bycause he was yet yonge. Then Za∣bah and Zalmona sayd: Ryse thou, & fal vpō vs: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gedeon arose and slewe Zabah & Zalmona, & toke awaye the ornamentes, that were on theyr camels neckes. Then the mē of Israell sayd vnto Gedeō: Reygne thou ouer vs both thou, thy sonne, & thy sonnes sonne, for thou hast delyuered vs out of the hand of Madiā.

And Gedeon sayd vnto them. I wyll not reygne ouer you, neyther shall my Chylde [unspec F] reygne ouer you, but the Lorde shall reygne ouer you. And agayne Gedeon sayde vnto them: I wold desyre a certayn request of you, euen that ye wolde gyue me euerye man the earynges of his pray. For they had golden earyng{is}, bycause they were Ismaelites. And they answered: we wyll gyue them. And they spred a mantel, and dyd cast therin euery mā the earyng{is} of his praye. And the weyght of the golden earynges that he requyred, was a thousande & seuen hundred sycles of golde, besyde cheynes, ☞ pomaunders and purple rayment, that was on the kynges of Madiā & besyde the cheynes, that were aboute theyr Camels neckes. And Gedeon made an ☞ E∣phod therof, and put it in his citye Ephrah. And all Israell wente a hoorynge after it, whiche thyng became a ruyne vnto Gedeon, & to his house. Thus was Madian brought lowe before the chyldren of Israell, so that they lyfte vp theyr heades no more. And the countrey was in quyetnesse fourtye yeres in the dayes of Gedeon.

And Ierobaall the sonne of Ioas wente [unspec G] and dwelte in his owne house. And Gedeon had lxx, sonnes of his body begotten, for he had many wyues. And his concubine that was in Sichem, bare hym a son also, whose name he called Abimelech. And Gedeon the sonne of Ioas dyed, in a good age, & was bu¦ryed in the sepulchre of Ioas his father, euen in Ephrah, that perteyned vnto the father of the Ezrites. But it fortuned, that as soone as Gedeō was dead, the chyldren of Israel tur∣ned away, & went a hoorynge after Baalim, and made a couenaūt with Baall to be theyr god, and the chyldren of Israell thought not on the lorde theyr god, which had delyuered them out of the handes of all theyr enemyes on euery syde. Neyther shewed they mercy on the house of Ierobaall, otherwyse called Ge∣deon, accordynge to all the goodnesse whiche he had shewed vnto Israell.

¶ Abimelech is made kynge.

CAPI. IX.

ABimelech the sonne of Ierobaall went [unspec A] to Sichem: vnto his mothers brethren / and cōmoned with them / and with all his mothers fathers kynred / sayenge: saye I pray you in the eares of all the enhabytours of Sichem: whyther is better for you / that al the sonnes of Ierobaall (whiche are. lxx. per∣sons) reygne ouer you, eyther that one reigne ouer you? Remēber / that I am of your bone, and of your flesshe.

And his mothers brethren spake of hym in the audience of the men of Sichem al these wordes, and theyr hertes were moued to fo∣lowe Abimelech. For they sayd: he is our bro¦ther. And they gaue hym. lxx. peces of syluer out of the temple of Baal Berith, wherewith Abimelech hyred vayne and lyght persones, whiche went with hym. And he wente vnto his fathers house at Ephrah and slewe all his brethrē, the sonnes of Ierobaal, euen. lxx. persones ❀ with one stone. Notwithstādyng yet Ioatham the yongest sonne of Ierobaal escaped, for he hyd hym selfe. And all the men of Sichem gathered togyther, & al the house of Mello, and came & made Abimelech kyng in the playne, where the great stone was by Sichem. And when they tolde it to Ioatham he wente and stode in the top of mount Gari∣zim, and lyfte vp his voyce, and cryed, & sayd vnto them.

Herken vnto me, ye men of Sychem, [unspec B] that god may herken vnto you. The trees went forth to anoynt a kyng ouer them, and sayde vnto the Olyue tree: reygne thou ouer vs. But the olyue tree sayd vnto them: shuld I leaue my fatnesse, which both goddes and men prayse in me, & go to be promoted ouer the trees? And the trees sayde to the Fygge tree: come thou, and be kynge ouer vs. The fygge tree answered them: shulde I forsake my swetnesse, and my good fruyte, and go to be promoted ouer the trees? Then sayde the trees vnto the vyne: come thou and be kyng ouer vs. The vyne sayde vnto them: shulde I leaue my wyne wherby I chere bothe god∣des and mē, and go to be promoted ouer the trees? Then sayde all the trees vnto the Fyr busshe: come thou, and reygne ouer vs. And the Fyr busshe sayde vnto the trees: yf it be true that ye wyll anoynte me kyng ouer you, thē come, & put your trust vnder my shadow. If no, the fyre come out of the Fyr busshe, & waste the Cedre trees of Libanon.

Nowe therfore, yf ye do truely and vncor∣ruptly, [unspec C] to make Abimelech kynge: and yf ye haue delte well with Ierobaal and his house and haue done vnto hym accordynge to the deseruyng of his handes, iudge ye. For euen he (my father) fought for you, and aduentu∣red his lyfe, and ryd you out of the hande of Madian. And ye are rysen vp agayst my fa∣thers house this daye, and haue sleyne his chyldren, euen. lxx. persones with one stone, and haue made Abimelech the sonne of his mayde seruaunt, kynge ouer the men of Si∣chem, bycause he is your brother: Yf ye then haue delte truely and purely with Ierobaal and with his house this daye, then reioyse ye with Abimelech, & let hym reioyse with you.

But yf ye haue not delte truely, then I pray God a fyre may come out of Abimelech and consume the men of Sichem & the house of Mello. And that there maye come a fyre from among the men of Sichem, and out of the house of Mello, and consume Abimelech And Ioatham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer and dwelt there, for feare of Abime∣lech his brother. When Abimelech had reyg∣ned thre yere, God sent an hate bytwene Abi∣melech and the men of Sichem. And the ci∣tezens of Sichem rayled vpon Abimelech, and wysshed, that the wyckednes done to the lxx. sonnes of Ierobaal myght come on hym and layde the blood of them vnto Abimelech theyr brother which slewe them and vnto the other men of Sichem, whiche ayded hym in the kyllyng of his brethren. And the citezens of Sichem set men to lay awayte for hym in the toppe of the mountaynes: whiche men, ❀ (vvhyle they taryed for his co••••••••) robbed all that came alonge the way by them. And it was tolde Abimelech.

And Gaal the sonne of Abed came with [unspec D] his brethren, and they gat them to Sichem. And the men of Sichem put theyr cōfidence in hym. And they went out in to the feldes, & gathered in theyr grapes, & trode them, and made mery: and went in to the house of theyr goddes, and dyd eate & drynke, & cursed Abi∣melech. And Gaal the sonne of Abed sayde: what is Abimelech? & what is Sichem? that we shulde serue hym? Is he not the sonne of Ierobaal? and Zebul was his offycer? serue suche as come of Hemor the father of Si∣chem, for what reason is it, that we shulde serue hym? wolde God this people were vn∣der my hande, then wolde I take Abimelech out of the way. And he spake agaynst Abime∣lech: make thyne hoost greater, and go out. And when Zebull the ruler of the citye herde the wordes of Gaal the son of Abed, he was wrothe, and sent messengers vnto Abimelech pryuely, sayenge. Beholde, Gaal the sonne of Abed and his brethren be come to Sichem, and beholde, they set the citye agaynst the. Nowe therfore vp by nyght, thou and all the people that is with the, and laye in wayte in the felde. And aryse earlye in the mornynge as soone as the Sonne is vp, and fall vpon the Citye. And yf he and the people that is with hym, come out agaynst the, do to hym what thy handes shall be able. And Abime∣lech rose vp, and all the people that were in hym, by nyght.

And they layde awayte agaynst Sichem [unspec E] in foure companyes. And Gaal the sonne of Abed wente out and stode in the entrynge of of the gate of the citie. And Abimelech rose vp, and the folke that were with hym, frome laynge awayte. And when Gaal saw the peo∣ple, he sayd to Zebul: beholde, there come peo¦ple downe from the top of the mountaynes. And Zebul sayde vnto hym: the shadowe of the hylles seme men vnto the.❀ (and by that errour arte thou deceyued.) And Gaall answe∣red agayne, and sayde: Se, there come folke downe by the myddle of the lande, & another company come alonge by the playne of the charmers. Thē sayd Zebul vnto hym: where is nowe thy mouth that sayde: What felowe is Abimelech, that we shulde serue hym? Is not this the people that thou hast despysed?

Go out nowe and fyght with them. And Gaal went out before the citizens of Sichem and fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased hym, that he fled before hym, ❀ (and he droue hym in to the Citye,) & many were ouer throwen and woūded, euen vnto the entryng of the gate. And Abimelech dwelte at Aru∣mah. And Zebul thrust out Gaal and his bre¦thren, that they shulde not dwell in Sichem, ❀ (and suffered them not to tarye thenin.

And on the morowe, it happened, that the [unspec F] people went out in to the felde. And they told Abimelech. And he toke the people, and deui∣ded them in to thre compan••es, and layde a∣wayte in the feldes, and loked, and beholde, the people were come out of the Citye, and he ran vpon them, and smote them. And Abime¦lech, and the companyes that were with hym reached farther, and stode in the entrynge of the gate of the citie. And the two other com∣panyes ran vpon all the people that were in the feldes and slewe them. And when Abime¦lech had fought agaynst the citie al that day he toke it, and slewe the people that was ther∣in, and destroyed the citie & sowed salte tho∣rowe it. And when all the men of the towre of of Sichē herd that, they entred in to a strong holde of the house of theyr god Baal Berith, ❀ (VVhere they made a bonde vvith hym, and therof dyd the place take the name, vvhich place vvas excedynge stronge.)

And it was tolde Abimelech, that all the men of the towre of Sichem were gathered togy∣ther, and Abimelech gat hym to mount Zel∣mon, bothe he & all the people that were with hym, and toke axes with hym and cut downe bownes of trees, and toke them & bare them on his shoulder, & sayde vnto the folke that were with hym, what ye haue sene me do, spede your selues, & do lykewyse as I haue done. And all the men that were amonge the people, cut downe bowes, & folowed Abime∣lech, & put them in to the holde, & set the holde a fyre by them: so that ❀ (vvith smoke & fyre,) al the men of the towre of sichem were sleyne, vpon a thousande men and women.

Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and be [unspec G] seyged it, and toke it. But there was a strong towre within the citye, and thyther ran all the men and women, and al the cheyfe that were in the citie, and shut it to them, and got them vp ❀ (by the bulvvorkes) to the toppe of the towre. And Abimelech came vnto the towre, and fought agaynst it, and went harde vnto the dore of the towre, to set it on fyre. And a certayne woman cast a pece of a mylstone vpon his head, & all to brake his brayne pan.

Then Abimelech called hastely vnto the yonge man that bare his harnesse, and sayde vnto hym: Drawe thy swerde and sley me, that men say not of me: a woman slewe hym. And his lad thrust hym thorow, and he dyed. And when the men of Israel sawe that Abi∣melech was deade, they departed, euery man vnto his owne house. And thus the wicked∣nesse of Abimelech which he dyd vnto his fa∣ther, in sleyenge his seuentye brethren, and therto all the wyckednesse of the men of Si-chem dyd God brynge vpon theyr heades. And vpon them came the curse of Ioatham the sonne of Ierobaal.

¶ Thola, and Iair are Iudges of Israell.

CAPI. X.

AFter Abimelech there arose, to defende [unspec A] Israel, one Thola (the son of Phuah) ☞ his vncles sonne, a man of Isachar, which dwelte in Samir in mount Ephraim. And he iudged Israel. xxiii. yere, and dyed, & was buryed in Samir. And after hym arose Iair a Giliadite, & iudged Israel. xxii. yere.

And he had thyrtye sonnes that rode on thyrtie Asse coltes, and they had thyrtie cities whiche are called the townes of Iair vnto this day, and are in the lande of Gilead. And Iair dyed, and was buryed in Kamon.

And the chyldren of Israell wroughte wyckednesse yet agayne, in the syghte of the Lorde, and serued Baalim and Astharoth, & the goddes of Siria, the goddes of Sidon, and the goddes of Moab, the goddes of the chyldren of Ammon, and the Goddes of the Philistines, and forsoke the lorde and serued not hym. And the Lorde was wroth with Is∣raell, and solde them in to the handes of the Philistines, and in to the handes of the chyl∣dren of Ammon: which from that yere forth,

pylde and oppressed the chyldren of Israell. xviii. yere, all that were on the other syde Ior¦dane: in the lande of the Amorites whiche is in Gilead. Moreouer, the chyldren of Ammō went ouer Iordane to fyght agaynst Iuda, Beniamin, & the house of Ephraim: so that Israell was sore combred.

And the Chyldren of Israell cryed vnto [unspec C] the Lorde, sayenge: we haue synned agaynst the: for we haue forsaken our owne god, and haue serued Baalun. And the Lorde sayde vnto the chyldren of Israell: dyd not the E∣gyptians, the Amorites, the chyldren of Am∣mon, the Philistines, the Sidonites, the Amaleckites, & the Maonites, oppresse you? And ye cryed to me, & I delyuered you out of theyr handes. And for all that, ye haue forsa∣ken me, and serued straunge good{is}, wherfore I wyll helpe you no more. Go and crye vnto the Goddes whiche ye haue chosen, and let them saue you in the tyme of your tribulaciō

And the Chyldren of Israell sayde vnto [unspec D] the Lorde: we haue synned: do thou vnto vn∣to vs whatsoeuer please the, delyuer vs only this daye. And they put awaye the straunge goddes from them, and serued the Lorde.

And his soule had pitye on the miserye of Israell. Then the Chyldren of Ammon ga∣thered togyther, & pytched in Gilead. And the chyldren of Israell gathered them togyther, & pytched in Mizpa. And the Lordes of Gi∣lead sayde eche to other, who soeuer wyll be∣gyn the battayle agaynst the chyldren of Am¦mon, the same shall be heade ouer all the en∣habyters of Gilead.

¶ Iephthath deliuered Israell from the Ammonites.

CAPI XI.

ANd there was one Iephthah a Gilea∣dite, [unspec A] a stronge man, the Son of an har∣lot: and Gilead begat Iephthah. And Gileads wyfe bare hym sonnes, which when they were come to age, thrust out Iephthah, and sayde vnto hym: thou shalt not enheryte in our fathers house, for thou arte the son of a straunge woman. Then Iephthah fled frō his brethren, and dweit in the lande of Tob.

And there gathered ydle ❀ (and theuysshe) men to Iephthah & went out with hym. And it chaunced in processe of tyme, that the chyl∣dren of Ammon made war agaynst Israell. And when the Chyldren of Ammon fought thus agaynst Israell, the Elders of Gilead went to fetche Iephthah out of the lande of Tob ❀ (to helpe them,) and sayde vnto hym: come & be oure captayne, that we may fyght with the chyldren of Ammon. Iephthah ans∣wered the elders of Gilead: Dyd not ye hate me & expell me out of my fathers house? how [unspec B] happeneth it then, that you come vnto me nowe in tyme of youre tribulacyon? And the elders of Gilead sayd vnto Iephthah: Ther∣fore we turne agayn to the now, that y^u mayst go with vs, & fyght agaynst the Chyldren of Ammon, & be our heade ouer all the enhaby∣tours of Gilead. And Iephthah sayde vnto the elders of Gilead: Yf ye brynge me home agayn, to fyght with the chyldren of Ammō / then yf the lord delyuer them before me, shall I be your heade? And the Elders of Gilead sayde to Iephthah: the lorde be wytnesse by∣twene vs, yf we do not accordyng to thy wor∣des. Then Iephthah went with the elders of Gilead. And the people made hym heade, & ruler ouer them. And Iephthah rehearsed al his wordes before the Lorde ☞ in Mizpa.

And Iephthah sent messengers vnto the kynge of the Chyldren of Ammon, sayenge▪ what hast thou to do with me, that thou arte come agaynst me, to fyght in my lande? The kynge of the Chyldren of Ammon answered vnto the messengers of Iephthah: Bycause Israell toke away my lande, when they came out of Egypt, euen frō Arnon vnto Iabo•• •• [unspec C] vnto Iordan. Now therfore restore those ••an¦des agayne w^t fayre meanes. And Iephthah sent messengers agayn vnto the kyng of the chyldren of Ammon, & sayde vnto hym: thus sayeth Iephthah: Israel toke not away the lande of Moa••▪ nor the lande of the chyldren of Ammō. But when Israell came out of E∣gypt, & walked thorow the wyldernesse, euen vnto the red see, they came to Cades, & sent messengers vnto the kynge of Edō, sayenge: Let me (I praye the) go thorowe thy lande. But the kyng of Edō wolde not agre therto, And in lyke maner they sent vnto the kynge of Moab, but he wolde not consent. And so Israel abode styll in Cades. And then they went alonge thorow the wyldernesse, and cō∣passed the lande of Edō, & the lande of Mo∣ab, & came alonge by the east syde of the land of Moab, & pytched on the other syde of Ar∣non, & wolde not come within the cooste of Moab. For Arnon was the vttermoost bor¦der of Moab. And then Israell sent messen¦gers vnto Sehon, kynge of the Amorytes, & [unspec D] kynge of Hesbon, & sayde vnto hym: Let vs passe thorowe thy lande vnto our owne coun¦trey. But Sehō cōsented not to Israell, that he shulde go thorowe his coost: but gathered all his people togyther, & pytehed in Iaza••, & fought with Israell. And the lorde god of Israell delyuered Sehon and all his folke in to the handes of Israell. And so Israell

smote them / & conquered all the lande of the Amorites, the enhabyters of the sayde coun∣trey. And they cōquered all the coostes of the Amorites, from Arnon vnto Iaboke, & from the wyldernesse vnto Iordane. So nowe, se∣enge the Lorde God of Israell hath cast out the Amorites before his people Israell, shul∣dest y^u possesse the lande? Naye, but what peo¦ple, Camos thy God dryueth out, that lande possesse thou. Euen so whatsoeuer naciō the lorde our god expelleth, that lande ought we to enioye. And art thou better then Balack the sonne of Zephor kynge of Moab? dyd he [unspec E] s••tyue with Israell or fyght agaynst them / all the whyle Israell dwelte in Hesbon, & her townes, in Atoer & her townes, and in all the cityes that be a longe by the coostes of Arnō thre hundred yeares? why dydest y^• not reco∣uer them in all that place? Wherfore I haue not synned agaynst the. But thou doest me wronge, to war agaynst me. The Lorde ther∣fore be iudge this daye, bytwene the chyldren of Israell, & the chyldren of Ammō. Howbeit the kynge of the chyldren of Ammon, herke∣ned not vnto the wordes of Iephthah, which he sent hym. Then the spiryte of the Lorde came vpon Iephthah. And he passed ouer to Gilead, & to Manasses, and came to Maz∣phah that lyeth in Gilead, & from thence vn∣to the Chyldren of Ammon. And Iephthah vowed a vowe vnto the Lorde, & sayde: Yf thou shalte delyuer the Chyldren of Ammon [unspec F] into my handes, then that thyng that cōmeth out of the dores of my house agaynst me, when I come home in peace, from the Chyl∣dren of Ammon, shall be the lordes, ☞ and I wyll offre it vp for a burtofferynge. And so Iephthah went vnto the chyldren of Ammō to fyght with them. And the lorde delyuered them in to his handes. And he smote them from Atoer, tyll thou come to Menith, euen xx. cityes: & so forth to the playne of the vine∣yerdes, with an excedynge greate slaughter.

And thus the Chyldren of Ammon were brought vnder, before the chyldren of Israel. Whē Iephthah came to Mazphah vnto his house, se, his doughter came out agaynste hym, with tymberels & daunses, whiche was his onely Chylde: so that besyde her, he had neyther son nor doughter. And when he saw [unspec G] her, he rent his clothes, and sayde: Alas my doughter ❀ thou hast brought me lowe, and arte one of them that trouble me. For I haue opened my mouth vnto the Lorde, & can not go backe. And she sayd vnto hym: my father, yf y^u haue opened thy mouth vnto the Lorde, then on w^t me accordynge to it that proceded out of thy mouth, for as moche as the Lorde hath aduenged the ❀ (and gyuen the victory) of thyne enemyes the Chyldren of Ammon. And she sayd vnto her father: do thus moche for me: let me alone ii. monethes, that I may ☞ go downe to the mountaynes, & bewayle my virgynyte, I & my felowes. And he sayd: go, & he sent her awaye two monethes. And so she went w^t her cōpanions, & lamented her mayden heade vpon the mountaynes. And after the ende of the two monethes, she tur∣ned agayne vnto her Father, whiche ☞ dyd with her accordynge to his vowe whiche he had vowed, & she had knowen no man. And it grewe to a custome in Israell. The doug∣ters of Israel came yere by yere to lament the doughter of Iephthah the Gileadite, foure dayes in a yeare.

¶ The battayle of Iephthah agaynste Ephraim. After the▪ death of Iephthah succedeth Elon. After Elon Abdon.

CAPI. XII.

ANd the men of Ephraim gathered them [unspec A] selues togyther, and went northwarde, & sayde vnto Iephthah: Wherfore wentest thou to fyght with the chyldren of Ammon, & dydest not call vs to go with the? We wyll therfore burne thyne house vpon the, with fyre. And Iephthah sayde vnto them: I and my people were at great stryfe with the chyl∣dren of Ammon. And when I called you, ye delyuered me not out of theyr handes. And when I sawe that ye delyuered me not, I ☞ put my lyfe in my handes, & went vpon the chyldren of Ammon. And the lorde dely∣uered them in to my handes. Wherfore then are ye come vpon me now to fyght with me?

Iephthah therfore gathered togyther all the men of Gilead, & fought w^t the Ephraites [unspec B] And the men of Gilead smote the Ephraites, bycause they sayde: Ye Gileadites are but renegates of Ephraim amonge the Ephrai∣tes & the Manassites. Moreouer, the men of Gilead toke the passages of Iordane before the Ephraites. And whē those Ephrait{is} that were escaped, sayde: Let vs go ouer, then the men of Gilead sayd vnto them: Arte thou all Ephraite? they sayd: nay. Then sayd they vn to him: then saye: ☞ Schibboleth ❀ (vvhich is by interpretacyon, an eare of corne.) And he sayde: Sibboleth: for he coulde not so pro∣nounce. And then they toke hym, & slew hym, at the passages of Iordane. And there were ouerthrowen at that tyme of the Ephraites, [unspec C] xlii. thousand. And Iephthah iudged Israel sixe yeare, & dyed, & was buryed in one of the cityes of Gilead. After this man, iudged Is∣raell one Abezan of Bethlehem, and he had

thirtye sonnes and thirtye doughters, whom he sent out, and toke thirtye other in, for his sonnes. And when Abezā had iudged Israel seuen yere, he dyed, & was buryed at Beth∣leem. After hym, Elon a Zabulonite Iudged Israel ten yere, & Elon the Zabulonite dyed, & was buryed in Aialon, in the countrey of Zabulon. After hym, Abdon the son of Hellel a Pharathonite iudged Israell. And he had fourtye sonnes, & thirtye neues, that rode on seuentie asse coltes. And when Abdon the son of Hellell the Pharathonite had iudged Is∣raell eyght yere, he dyed, and was buryed in Pharthon in the lande of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalechites.

¶ Israel beyng an Idolatret, is o••pressed of the Ph••istinell. The byrth of Samson. The sacrifice of Samsons Father.

CAPI. XIII.

ANd the Chyldren of Israell began a∣gayne to commyt wyckednesse in the syght of the Lorde. And the lorde de∣lyuered them in to the hand{is} of the Philisti∣nes fourtye yeare. And there was a man in Zarah of the kynred of Dan, named Ma∣noah, whose wyfe was barren, and bare not. And the angell of the Lorde appeared vnto the woman, & sayde vnto her: Beholde, thou arte batten, and bearest not: But thou shalte conceyue, and beare a son. And nowe beware that y^u drynke no wyne, nor stronge drynke, neyther eate any vncleane thyng: for se, thou shalte conceyue & beare a son. And there may no raser come on his heade: For the lad shal be an absteyner vnto God, euen from his ❀ (infancye and from his) byrth. And he shall begyn to delyuer Israell out of the handes of the Philistynes. Then the wyfe came, and tolde her husbande, sayenge: a man of God came vnto me, and the fassyon of hym, was lyke the fassyon of an angel of god, excedyng fearful. But I asked hym not whense he was neyther tolde he me his name, but sayd vnto me: beholde, thou shalte be with chylde and beate a sonne, and nowe drynke no wyne nor [unspec B] stronge drynke, neyther eate any vncleane thynge: for the ladde shall be an absteyner to god, euen from his ❀ (infancye, and from his) byrth, to the day of his death. Thē Manoah made intercession to the lorde, & sayd: I pray the my lorde, let the man of god whiche thou sendest, come once more vnto vs, and teache vs what we shall do vnto the lad, when he is borne. And god herde the voyce of Manoah, and the angell of god came agayne vnto the wyfe as she sat in the feld: But Manoah her husdand was not w^t her. And the wyfe made hast, & ran, and shewed her husbande, & sayd vnto hym, Beholde, the man appeared vnto me, that came vnto me to day. And Manoah arose, & went after his wyfe, and came to the man, and sayde vnto hym: arte thou the man that spakest vnto my wyfe? And he sayde: I am. Manoah sayde: nowe when thy sayenge [unspec C] is come to passe: what shall be the maner of the chylde, & what shall he do? And the angel of the Lorde sayde vnto Manoah: thy wyfe must absteyne from al that I sayd vnto her: she may eate of nothynge that cōmeth of the vyne ••tee, nor drynke wyne or strong drynke, nor eate any vncleane thynge: But must ob∣serue all that I bad her. Manoah sayde vn∣to the Angell of the Lorde: we wyll kepe the styll, vntyll we haue made redye a kyd, and haue set it before the. And the Angell of the Lorde sayde vnto Manoah: though y^u make me abyde. I wyll not eate of thy ☞ breade. And yf y^u wylte offre a burntofferynge, thou must offre it vnto the Lorde. For Manoah wyst not, that it was an angell of the Lorde. And Manoah sayde agayne vnto the angell of the Lorde: what is thy name, that when thy sayenge is come to passe, we may do the some worshyp? And the Angell of the Lorde sayde vnto hym: why askest thou after my name, which is ☞ Secrete. And so Manoah toke a kyd with a meate offerynge, and offe∣red it vpon a rocke vnto the Lorde. And the [unspec D] angell dyd wonderouslye, Manoah, and his wyfe lokyng vpon. And whē the flame came vp to warde heuen from the aulter the angel of the Lorde ascended vp in the flame of the aulter. And Manoah & his wyfe loked vpon it, & fell flat on theyr faces vnto the groūde: But the angell of the Lorde dyd no more ap∣peare vnto Manoah and his wyfe. And then Manoah knewe that it was an angell of the Lorde, & sayd vnto his wyfe, we shall sure∣lye dye, bycause ❀ we haue sene god. But his wyfe sayd vnto hym: Yf the lorde wolde kyll vs, he wolde not haue receyued a burnt offe∣rynge, and a meate offerynge of our handes, neyther wolde he haue shewed vs all these thynges, nor wolde nowe haue tolde vs any suche. And the wyfe bare a sonne, & called his name Samsom. And the lad grewe, and the lorde blessed hym. And ❀ the spiryte of the Lorde began to moue hym in the hooste of Dan, bytwene Zaraah and Esthaoll.

¶ The maryage of Samsom. He hylleth a Lyon. He propoundeth a ryddle. ••e hylleth. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••en. His wyfe forsaketh hym, and taketh another.

CAPI. XIIII.

SAmson went downe to Thamnath, and [unspec A] saw a woman in Thānath of the dough∣ters of the Philistines, and he came by, and

tolde his father, and his mother, and sayde: I haue sene a woman in Thamnath of the doughters of the Philistines. And now gyue her me to wyfe. Then his father and mother sayde vnto hym, Is there neuer a woman amonge the doughters of thy brethren, and amonge all my people, but that thou must go, & take a wyfe of the vncircumcised Phi∣listines? And Samson sayd vnto his father: gyue me this womā, for she pleaseth me wel. But his Father and mother wyst not that it was the Lordes doynge, and that he sought an occasyon agaynste the Philistines, for at that tyme the Philistines reygned ouer Is∣raell. Then went Samson, and his father, & [unspec B] his mother downe to Thamnath, and came to the vineyeardes of Thamnath: And be∣holde, a yonge ❀ (vvod) Lyon roored vpon hym. And the spiryte of the lorde came vpon hym. And he tare hym, as he wolde haue rent a kyd, and yet had nothynge in his hande, neyther tolde his father and mother what he had done. And he went downe, and talked with the woman▪ whiche semed well fauou∣red in the syght of Samson. And with∣in a shorte space after, as he went thyther agayne to take her to wyfe, he turned out of the waye, to se the carkas of the Lyon. And beholde, there was a swarme of bees, & hony in the carkas of the Lyon. And he toke of the honye in his handes, and went eatynge, and came to his father & mother, and gaue them also. And they dyd eat. But he tolde not them that he had taken the honye out of the car∣kas of the Lyon.

And so his father came vnto the woman, [unspec C] and Samson made there a feast, for so vsed the yonge men to do. And ❀ when they ❀ (the cy••esens of that place) sawe hym, they brought xxx. companions to be with hym. And Sam∣son sayde vnto them: I wyll now put forth a ryddle vnto you, and yf ye can declare it me within seuen dayes of the feast, and fynde it oute, I wyll gyue you thirtye shertes, and xxx. chaung of garmentes: But and yf ye can not declare it me, then shall ye gyue me thyr∣tye shertes & thyrtye chaunge of garmentes. And they answered him: put forth the ryddle, that we may heare it. And he said vnto them: Out of the eater came meate, and out of the stronge came swetnesse. And they coulde not in thre dayes expounde the ryddle. And when the seuenth daye was come, they sayde vnto Samsons wyfe: flater thyne husband ❀ (and persvvade hym) that he maye declare vs the ryddle, lest we burne the & thy fathers house with fyre▪ Haue ye called vs hyther, to make vs beggers? And Samsons wyfe wepte be∣fore hym, ❀ (complayned) and sayde: Surely thou hatest me & louest me not: for thou hast put forth a ryddle vnto the Chyldren of my folke, and hast not tolde it me. And he sayde vnto her: Beholde, I haue not tolde it my fa¦ther, and my mother, and shall I tell it the?

And Samsons wyfe wepte before hym seuen dayes, whyle the feaste lasted. And the seuenth daye he tolde her, bycause she laye so sore vpon hym. And she tolde it the chyldren of her folke. And the men of the ritye sayde vnto hym the seuenth daye, before the sonne went downe. What is swetter then honye, & what is stronger then a Lyon? Then sayd he vnto them: Yf ye had not ☞ plowed with my calfe, ye had not founde out my ryddle. And he went downe to Askalon, and slewe thyrtye men of them, and spoyled them, and gaue chaunge of garmentes vnto them whiche ex∣pounded the ryddle. And he was wrothe, and went vp to his fathers house. But Sāsons wyfe was gyuen to one of his companyons, that he had taken vnto hym.

¶ Samson ty••th fyrebrandes to Fore tayles. With the ••awe bone of an Asse he hylleth a thousande men. Out of a great to the in the Iaw God gyueth hym water.

CAPI XV.

BUt it chaūced within a whyle after, euen [unspec A] in the tyme of wheat heruest that Sam∣son visyted his wyfe with a kyd, sayng: I wyll go in to my wyfe in to the chambre: but her father wolde not suffre hym to go in▪ And her Father sayde: I thought that thou haddest hated her, and therfore gaue I her vnto one of thy cōpanyons. Is not her you∣ger syster fayrer then she? Take her in steade of the other. Samson sayd vnto them: Now am I more blamelesse then the Philistines, and therfore wyll I do them displeasure.

And Samson went out, and caught thre hundred foxes, and toke fyrebrandes & faste∣ned tayle to tayle, and put a fyrebrand in the myddes bytwene two tayles. And when he had set the brandes on fyre, he sent them out ❀ (that they myght run abrode, vvhiche vvent immediatly) in to the standynge corne of the Philistines, and burnt vp bothe the reaped corne and also the standynge, with the vine∣yeardes [unspec B] and Olyues. Then the Philistines sayde: who hath done this? And it was tolde them that Samson the sonne in lawe of the Thamnite, bycause he had taken his wyfe, and gyuen her to his companyon. And the Philistines came vp and burnt her, and her father with fyre. And Samson sayde vnto them: Though ye haue done this, yet wyll I

be aduenged of you, and then I wyll crase. ❀ And he smote them leg and thygh with a myghtye plage. And then he went & dwelte in the caue of the rocke Etam.

Then the Philistines came vp, & pytched in Iuda, and laye in ❀ (a place, that vvas af∣tervvarde called) Lehi ❀(that is a Iavve bone, vvhere theyr hoost vvas scatered abrode.) And the men of Iuda sayde, why are ye come vp vnto vs? They answered to bynde Samson [unspec C] are we come vp, and to do to hym as he hath done to vs. Then thre thousand men of Iu∣da went downe to the caue of the rocke Etā / and sayde to Samson: wotest thou not that the Philistines are rulers ouer vs? wherfore then hast thou done thus vnto vs? He answe¦red them as they dyd vnto me, so I haue done vnto them. And they sayd vnto hym a∣gayne: we are come downe to bynde the, and to delyuer the in to the hande of the Phili∣stines. And Samson sayd vnto them: sweare vnto me ❀ (and promyse me,) that ye shall not fall vpon me your selues. They answe∣red hym, sayenge: No, but we wyll bynde the and delyuer the vnto theyr handes: But we wyll dot kyll the. And they bounde hym with two newe cordes, and brought hym from the rocke. And when he came to Lehi, the Phili∣stines showted agaynst hym. And the spiryte of the Lorde came vpon hym, and the cordes that were vpon his armes became as flax that was burnt with fyre, for the band{is} low∣sed from of his handes. And he founde a rot∣ten Iawbone of an Asse, and put forth his hande, and caught it, and slewe a thousande men therwith.

And Samson sayde: with the Iawe of an [unspec D] asse, haue I made heapes of them: with the Iawe of an Asse haue I sleyne a thousande men. And when he had lefte speakynge he he cast away the Iawe bone out of his hande and called the place: ☞ Ramath Lehi.

❀ (That is by interpretacyon the lyftynge vp of the iavve bone.) And he was sore a thyrst, and called on the Lorde and sayde: Thou hast gyuen this greate victorye, in the hande of thy seruaūt. And nowe I must dye for thyrst, and fall into the handes of the vncircumsi∣sed. But God brake a greate to the that was in the Iawe, and there came water therout. And when he had dronke / his spiryte came agayne, and he was refresshed: wherfore the name therof was called, vnto this daye, the well of the caller on, whiche came of the Iawe. And he iudged Israell in the dayes of the Philistines, twentye yeares.

¶ Samson lyfteth vp the gates of ••a; ••. He was de∣ceyued by Dalila. He pulleth downe the house vpon the Phylystynes, and dyeth with them.

CAPI. XVI.

THen went Samson to Azath, & sawe [unspec A] there an harlot, and went in vnto her. And it was tolde the Azathites, sayng: Sam¦son is come hyther. And they went aboute, & layde awayt for hym there, all nyght in the gate of the citye, and were styll all the nyght, sayenge: in the mornyng when it is daye, we shall kyl hym. And Samson toke his rest tyl mydnyght, and arose at mydnyght, and toke the dores of the gate of the citye, and the two syde postes, and rent them of with the barre and all, and put them vpon his shoulders, & caryed them vp to the toppe of an hyll, that is before Hebron. And after this it fortuned, that by the ryuer of Sorek, he loued a womā called Dalila vnto whome came the Lordes of the Philistines, and sayde vnto her: per∣swade hym, and se wherin his great strength lyeth, and by what meane we may ouercome hym, that we may bynde hym, to brynge him [unspec B] vnder, and euery one of vs shall gyue the e∣leuen hundred syluerlynges.

And Dalila sayde to Samsom: Oh, tell me where thy great strength lyeth, and howe thou myghtest be bounde, and brought vn∣der. Samson answeeed vnto her: If they bynde me with seuen grene withes that were neuer dryed, I shall be weake as other men,

And then the Lordes of the Philistines brought her seue wythes that were yet grene and neuer dryed, & she bounde hym therwith▪ Notwithstandynge she had men lyenge in wayte with her in the chambre. And she sayd vnto hym, the Philistines be vpon the Sam¦son. And immediately he brake the cordes as a strynge of towe, ❀ (that is tvvyned) brea∣keth, when it feleth fyre. And so his strength was not knowen. [unspec C]

And Dalila sayde vnto Samson: Se, thou hast mocked me & tolde me lyes. Nowe therfore tell me, wherwith thou myghtest be bounde. He answered her: yf they bynde me with newe ropes that were neuer occupyed / I shall be weake, and as another man. Da∣lila therfore toke newe ropes, & bounde hym therwith, and sayde vnto hym: the Philisti∣nes be vpon the Samson. And there were lyers of wayte in the chambre, and he brake them from of his armes, as they had ben but a threde. And Dalila sayde vnto Samsom: ••••therto thou hast begyled me, and tolde me lyes: yet tell me howe y^• myghtest be bounde. He sayde vnto her: If thou plattedst the. vii▪ lockes of my heade with an heere lace.

And she fastened them with a nayle, & sayde vnto hym: the Philistines be vpō the Sam∣son. And he awaked out of his slepe, & pluc∣ked awaye the nayle, that was in the plat∣tynge with the heere lace.

And she sayde vnto hym agayne: Howe [unspec D] canst thou saye that thou louest me, when thyne herte is not with me? behold, thou hast mocked me this thre tymes, & hast not tolde me, wherin thy greate strength lyeth. And as she laye vpon hym with her wordes conty∣nually vexynge of hym, his soule was encom¦bred euen vnto the death. And so he tolde her all his herte, and sayde vnto her, there ne∣uer came raser vpon myne heade, for I haue ben an absteyner ❀ (that is to say, consecrate) vnto God, euen from my mothers wombe: therfore when I am shauen, my strength wyl go from me, and I shall waxe weake, and be lyke all other men. And when Dalila sawe that he had tolde her all his herte, she sent, & called for the Lordes of the Philistines, say∣enge: come vp yet this once, for he hath shew¦ed me all his herte. Then the Lordes of the Philistines came vp vnto her, and brought the money in theyr handes. And she made hym slepe vpon her knees ❀ (and to laye his heade dovvne in her lappe,) and she sent for a man, and he dyd shaue of the seuen lockes of his heade, and began to vexe hym, and his strength was gone from hym. And she sayd: the Philistines be vpon the Samson.

And he awoke out of his slepe, and sayde: [unspec E] I wyll go out now as at other tymes before, & shake my selfe, & he wyst not that the lorde was departed from hym. But the Philisty∣nes toke hym, & put out his eyes, & brougth hym downe to Azath, and boūde hym with two fetters of brasse. And ☞ he dyd grynde in the pryson house, howbeit the heere of his heade began to growe agayne after that he was shauen. Then the Lordes of the Phili∣stines gathered them togyther, for to offre a solempne offerynge vnto Dagon theyr god, and to reioyse: for they sayde, oure God hath deleuered Samson oure enemye in to oure hand{is}. And when the people sawe hym, they praysed theyr God: for they sayde: our God hath delyuered into our handes, our enemy, and distroyer of oure countrey, whiche slewe many of vs. And when theyr hertes were me¦rye, it fortuned, that they sayd: sende for Sā∣son, that he maye make vs laugh.

And they fet Samson out of the pryson∣house, [unspec F] and he played before them, and they set hym bytwene the pyllers. And Samson sayde vnto the lad that led hym by the hand: set me that I maye touche the pyllers, that the house stande vpon, & that I maye leane to them. And the house was full of men, and women. And there were all the Lordes of the Philistines. And there were vpon the roofe a thre thousande men & women, that behelde whyle Samson played.

And Samson called vnto the Lorde, and [unspec G] sayde: O Lorde God, thynke vpon me, and strengthen me, at this tyme onely▪ O God, that I maye be aduenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson cought the two myddle pyllers on which the house stode & on whiche it was borne vp, the one in his ryght hande, & the other in his lefte, & sayde: my soule shall dye with the Philistines, and bowed them with all his myght. And the house fell vpon the Lordes, and vpon all the people that were therin. And so the deade, which he slew at his death, were mo then they whiche he slew in his lyfe. And then his bre∣thren & al the house of his father came downe and toke hym vp, and brought hym, and bu∣ryed hym bytwene Zarah, and Esthaoll, in the buryenge place of Manoah his Father. And he iudged Israell twentye yeare.

¶ Of Micah / whose mother made hym an ydoll of syluer.

CAPI. XVII.

THere was a man in mounte Ephraim, [unspec A] named Micah, and he sayde vnto his mother: the eleuen hundred Syluerlynges / that were taken from the, aboute which thou cursedst, & spakest it in myne eares: Behold, the syluer is with me, I toke it awaye. And his mother sayde: blessed be thou my son, in the Lorde. And when he had restored the ele∣uen hundred syluerlynges to his mother a∣gayne, his mother sayde: I vowed the syluer vnto the lorde of myne hande for the my son: that thou shuldest make a grauen ymage, & an ymage of metall.

Nowe therfore I wyl gyue it the agayne. And when he restored the money agayne vn¦to [unspec B] his mother, his mother toke two hundred syluerlyng{is}, and gaue them to a goldsmyth, which made therof a grauen ymage, and an ymage of metall, and it was in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had a temple of goddes, and made an Ephod and Thera∣phim, ❀ (that is to say, a garment for the preest and Ydols) and fylled the hande of one of his sonnes whiche became his preest. In those dayes there was no Kynge of Israell, but euery man dyd that, whiche was good in his owne eyes. And there was a yonge man out of Bethleem Iuda, of the kynred of Iuda: which yonge man was a Leuite, & soiourned

there. And the man departed out of the citye of Bethleem Iuda, to go dwell where he coulde fynde a conuenyent place. And he came to mounte Ephraim, to the house of Micah as he iourneyed. And Micah sayde [unspec C] vnto hym: whence cōmest thou? The Leuite answered hym: I am of Bethleem Iuda, & go to dwel where I may fynde a place ❀ (and vvhere I may spye it to be for my profyt.) And Micah sayde agayne vnto hym: dwell with me, and be vnto me a father & a preest. And I wyll gyue the ten syluerlynges by yeare, two garmentes, and thy meate and drynke.

And the Leuite was content to dwel with the man, and was vnto hym as one of his owne sonnes. And Micah consecrated the hande of the Leuyte, and the yonge man be∣came his preest, and was in the house of Mi∣cah. Then sayde Micah: nowe I am sure that the Lorde wyll be good vnto me, seynge I haue a Leuyte to my Preest.

¶ The chyldren of Dan take the gods & the preest of Micah away. They destroy Lais, and after buylde it agayne.

CAPI. XVIII.

IN those dayes there was no kynge in [unspec A] Israell. And in those dayes the Trybe of Dan sought them an enherytaunce to dwell in, for vnto that tyme ☞ there fell none enherytaunce vnto them amonge the trybe of Israell. And the Chyldren of Dan sent of theyr kynred fyue actyue men in fea∣tes of warre out of theyr coostes, euen out of Zarah, and Esthaoll, to vewe the lande and searche out the lande. Whiche when they came to mount Ephraim, euen to the house of Micah, they lodged there. And when they were in the house of Micah, they knewe the voyce of the yonge man the Leuyte: & when they turned in thyther, they sayde vnto hym: Who brought the hyther? what makest thou in this place? and what hast thou here? And he answered them: thus & thus dealeth Mi∣cah with me, and hath hyred me, & I am be∣come his preest.

And they sayd vnto hym ☞ agayne: aske [unspec B] councell nowe of God, that we maye knowe, whyther the waye whiche we go, shalbe pro∣sperous or no. And the preest layd vnto them: go in peace, for the Lorde gydeth your waye whiche ye go. Then the fyue men departed and came to Lais, and sawe the people that were therin, howe they dwelte carelesse, after the maner of the Sidons, styll, and without castynge of peryls: and that no man made any trouble in the lande or vsurped any do∣minyon, but were far from the Sidons / and had no busynesse with other men.

And they came vnto theyr brethren, to Zarah and Esthaoll. And theyr brethren sayde vnto them: what haue ye done?

And they answered: Aryse, that we maye [unspec C] go vp agaynst them, for we haue sene the lande: surely a verye good one. And do ye syt styll? be not slouthfull to departe. But come to conquere the lande (❀ it shal be no laboure.)

Yf ye wyll go, ye shall come vnto a people that casteth no peryls, and it is a very large countrey: whiche god hath gyuen in to youre handes. It is also a place, whiche doth lacke nothynge that is in the worlde. And there de∣parted thence of the kynred of the Dannit{is} / euen out of Zarah, and Esthaoll, syre hun∣dred men appoynted with instrumentes of warre. And they went vp, and pytched in Ka∣riath Iarim whiche is in Iuda.

Wherfore they called the place the hooste [unspec D] of Dan vnto this day, and it is on the backe syde of Kariath Iarim. And they went thence vnto mount Ephraim, & came to the house of Micah. Then answered the fyue men that went to spye out the countrey of Lais, & sayd vnto theyr brethren: wote ye not that there is in these houses an Ephod, ☞ Theraphim, a grauen Image, and an Image of metall?

Nowe therfore consydre what ye haue to do. And they turned thyther warde and came to the house of the yonge man the Leuyte, euen vnto the house of Micah, and saluted hym peasably. And the syxe hundred men g••rden with wepons o•• warre, whiche were of the Chyldren of Dan, stode by the enterynge of the gate. And the fyue men that went to spye out the lande, went in thyther and toke the carued Image, and the Ephod, Theraphim, and the Image of metall.

And the preest stode in the enteryng of the [unspec E] gate with the sixe hundred men that were ar∣med vnto battayle, whyle the other went into Micahs house, and fet the carued Image, the Ephod, Theraphim, and the ymage of metal. Then sayd the preest vnto them: what do ye? They answered hym, holde thy peace ☞ lay thyne hande vpon thy mouth, & come with vs, to be our father and preest. It is bet¦ter for the to be a preest vnto the house of one man, then to be a preest vnto a trybe or a kyn¦red in Israell? And the preest was glad / and toke the Ephod, and Theraphim, & the gra∣uen Image, and went with the people. And they turned and departed, and put the Chyl∣dren, the cattell and theyr other substaunce before them. And whē they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men that were in the houses and in Micahs house, made

an outcrye, and folowed after the chyldren of [unspec F] Dan, and called vnto them. And they turned theyr faces, and sayde vnto Micah: what ay∣leth the, that thou makest an out crye: And he sayde: ye haue taken awaye my Goddes, whiche I made, and also the Preest, and go your wayes with them: And what haue I more? howe then say ye vnto me, what ayleth the? And the Chyldren of Dan sayde vnto hym: Let not thy voyce be herde among vs, leest angrye felowes run vpon the, and thou lose thy lyfe with the lyues of all thyne house holde. And so the Chyldren of Dan wente theyr wayes. And when Micah sawe that they were to stronge for hym, he turned and went backe vnto his house agayne.

And they toke the thynges which Micah [unspec G] had made, & the preest which he had, & came vnto Lais, euen vnto a people that were at rest and without mystrust, and smote them with the edge of the swerde, and burnt the ci∣tye with fyre. And there was no man to help, bycause Lais was far from Sidon, & they had no medelynge with any other man. And the citye stode in the valeye that lyeth hygh Bethrehob. And they buylte them there a ci∣tye, and dwelt therin, & called it Dan, after the name of Dan theyr father / whiche was borne vnto Israel. Howbeit, in very dede the name of the Citye was Lays at the begyn∣nynge. And the chyldren of Dan set them vp the grauen Image. And Ionathan the Son of Gerson, the Sonne of Manasses and his sonnes were the preestes in the trybe of Dan vntyll they were caryed awaye out of the lande captyue. And they set them vp the car∣ued Image which Micah made▪ al the whyle that the house of God was in Silo.

¶ Of the Leuyte, whose wyfe was vyllanously•• hylled in Gibea.

CAPI. XIX.

IT chaunced in those dayes, when there [unspec A] was no kynge in Israell / that a certayne Leuyte soiournyng on the syde of moūte Ephraim, toke to wyfe a concubyne out of Betheleem Iuda, and his concubyne played the hoore by him, and went away from hym / vnto her fathers house to Bethleem Iuda / and there contynued foure monethes. And her husband arose & went after her, to speake frendlye vnto her, and to brynge her home agayne, hauynge his lad with hym, & a cou∣ple of Asses. And she brought hym vnto her fathers house, & when the father of the dam∣sell sawe hym, he reioysed of his commynge. And his father in lawe the damsels Father kepte hym: And the Leuyte abode with hym thre dayes and so they dyd eate & drynke, and lodged there. The fourth daye when they a∣rose earlye in the mornyng, the man stode vp to departe.

And the damsels father sayde vnto his [unspec B] son in lawe, comforte thyne herte with a mor∣sell of breade, and then go your waye. And they sat downe, & dyd eate & drynke bothe of them togyther. And the damsels father sayde vnto the man: Be content I praye the▪ & tary all nyght▪ and let thyne herte be merye. And when the man stode vp to departe, his father in lawe compelled hym to turne agayne: and to tary all nyght there. And he arose vp early the fyfth daye to departe, & the damsels Fa∣ther sayde, conforte thyne herte: & they taryed vntyll after mydday. And they dyd eate both of them togyther. And when the man arose to departe with the concubyne & his lad, his father in lawe the damsels father sayde vnto hym: beholde, the daye gothe fast awaye and draweth towarde euen, tary all nyght: at the least waye tarye this daye here, that thyne herte may be me••ye.

And to morow get you earlye vpon your [unspec C] way, that thou mayst get the to thy tent. Ne∣uerthelatter the man wolde not tarye but a∣rose and departed, and came as far as Iebus (whiche is Ierusalem) and his two Asses la∣den, and his cōcubyne and his lad with hym And when they were fast by Iebus, the daye was sore spent, and the yonge man sayde vn∣to his mayster: come I praye the and let vs turne in, into this citye of the Iebusytes and lodge all nyght there. His mayster answered hym: we wyll not turne in to a straunge citye that are not of the Chyldren of Israell: we wyll go forth to Gibea. And he sayde vnto his lad, go forwarde, and we shall come to one of these places to lodge all nyght / eyther [unspec D] in Gibea or in Rama.

And they went forwarde vpon theyr way and the sonne went downe vpon them, when they were fast by Gibea whiche belongeth to them of Ben Iamin. And they turned thy∣ther warde to go in, and lodge all nyght in Gibea. And when he came, he sat hym downe in a streete of the citye, for there was no man that toke them to lodgynge. And beholde, there came an olde man from his worke, out of the felde at euen, which was also of moūte Ephraim, & dwelte as a straunger in Gibea: But the men of the place were the Chyldren of Iemini. And when he had lyfte vp his eyes, he saw a wayfarynge man in the streete of the citye. And the olde man sayd: whyther goest thou?

And whence cōmest thou? He answered hym: we come from Bethleem Iuda, towarde the syde of mount Ephraim: from thence am I, and I went to Bethleem Iuda, and go nowe to the house of the Lorde.

And there is no man that receyueth me to [unspec E] house: We haue strawe & prauender for oure Asses, and breade and wyne for me and thy handmayde, and for the lad that is with thy seruaunt, and we lacke nothynge. The olde man sayd: peace be with the, all that thou lac∣kest shalte thou fynde with me: onely abyde not in the streete al nyght, and so he brought hym in to his house, and gaue fodder vnto his Asses. And they wasshed theyr feete, and dyd eate and drynke. And as they were ma∣kyng theyr hertes mery: beholde, the men of the citye whiche were wycked, beset the house rounde aboute, and thrust at the dore, & spake to the man of the house, the olde man, saynge Brynge forth the man that came in to thyne house, that we may knowe hym.

And the man of the house, the olde mā [unspec F] went out, and sayde vnto them: Oh, nay my brethren, do not so wyckedly, seyng that this man is come in to myne house: do not so vn∣mete a thyng. Beholde, here is my doughter a mayden, and this mannes concubine, them I wyll brynge out nowe vnto you▪ and hum∣ble them, and do with them what semeth you good: but vnto this man, do not so abhomi∣nable a thynge. But the men wolde not her∣ken to hym. And the man toke his concubyne and brought her out vnto them, which knew her, and abused her, all the nyght, euen vnto the mornynge. And when the daye began to sprynge, they let her go.

And then came the womā in the dawnyng of the day, and fell downe at the doore of the [unspec G] mannes house, where her Lorde was, tyll it was day. And her lorde arose vp in the mor∣nyng, and opened the dores of the house, and went out to go his way. And beholde, the wo¦man, euen his concubine lay along before the dore of the house, and her handes stretched out vpon the thressholde.

And he ❀ (thynkynge her to haue ben a slepe,) sayde vnto her: Up / and let vs be goynge. But she answered not. Then the man ❀ (per∣ceyuynge that she vvas deade,) toke her vp vpō an Asse, and stode vp, and gat hym vnto his owne home. And when he was come vnto his house, he toke a knyfe, and caught his concubine, and deuyded her with the bones into twelue peces, and sent her in to all quar¦ters of Israell. And all that saw•• it, sayde: there was no suche dede done, or sene, synce the chyldren of Israell came out of Egypte vnto this daye, ❀ consyder the matter, take aduisement, and say your myndes.

¶ The battayle of the Israelyties agaynst the trybe of Ben Iamin▪ for the Leuites wyfe which was kylled.

CAPI. XX.

THen al the chyldren of Israel went out: [unspec A] and the congregacyon was gathered togyther as it had bene but one man, euen from Dan to Berseba, & vnto the lande of Gilead, vnto the Lorde ☞ in Mizpa, and there stode folke out of all quarters, and of all the tribes of Israell, in the congregacion of the people of god, foure hūdred thousande fore men that drewe swerdes. And when the chyldren of Ben Iamin herde that the chyl∣dren of Israel were gone vp to Mizpa, & had sayde: Oh ye chyldren of Israell, tell vs how this wyckednesse happened. And the Leu••••, the womans husbande that was sleyn••, an∣swered and sayde: I came in to Gibea that is in Ben Iamin with my concubyne to l•••• go all nyght.

And the men of Gibea rose agaynste me, and beset the house round about vpon me by nyght, and thought to haue sleyne me: and my concubyne haue they so forced / that she is deade. And I toke my concubine, and cut her in peces, and sent her thorowout all the landes of the enheritaūce of Israel. For they haue cōmytted abhominacyon and follye in Israel. Beholde, ye are all chyldren of Israel Pondre this matter, and gyue youre aduyse in the case. [unspec B]

And al the people arose, as it had ben one man, saynge: there shall not a man of vs go to his tente, neyther turne in to his house.

But this shall be it that we wyl ••o to Gibea: We wyll go vp by lot agaynst it. And we wyl take ten men of the hundred thorowout all the tribes of Israell, and an hundred of the thousande, and a thousande out of ten thou∣sande, to fet vytayle for the people to make that they maye go agaynst Gibea Ben Ia∣min, bycause of all the abhominacyon, that they haue wrought in Israell.

And so all the men of Israell gathered togyther agaynste the Citye, knyt togyther, as it had bene but one man. And the tribes of Israel sent men thorowe all the tribe of Ben Iamin, sayeng. What wyckednesse is this that is happened amonge you. Nowe ther∣fore delyuer vs the men, those chyldren of Be¦liall whiche are in Gibea, that we maye sley them, and put awaye euyll from Israell.

Neuerthelatter the Chyldren of Ben Imin wolde not h••rken vnto the voyce of theyr

brethren and chyldren of Israell: but gathe∣red themselues togyther out of the cityes vn¦to Gibea, to come out and fyght agaynst the chyldren of Israel. And the chyldren of Ben Iamin were nombred at that tyme, out of the cityes. xxvi. thousande men that drewe swer∣des, besyde the enhabitours of Gibea, which werē nombred seuen hundred chosen men. And amonge all these folke were seuen hun∣dred lefte handed mē, which euery one coulde flyng stones at an heere bredth, & not mysse.

And the chyldren of Israell besyde Ben [unspec C] Iamin, were nombred foure hundred thou∣sande men that drewe swerdes, and were all men of war. And the chyldren of Israel arose and went vp to Bethel, and asked counsayle of god, who shuld begyn the batayle agaynst the chyldren of Ben Iamin? And the Lorde sayd: Iuda shall begyn. And the chyldren of Israell stode vp early and befeyged Gibea. And the men of Israel wente out to battayle agaynst Ben Iamin, and the men of Israell put themselues in araye to fyght agaynste them, besyde Gibea. And the chyldrē of Ben Iamin came out of Gibea, and destroyed of the Israelites that day. xxii. thousande men, and brought them to the earth. And the folke of the Chyldren of Israell plucked vp theyr hertes, and went to agayne, & made battayle in the same place, where they dyd the fyrste day. And the chyldren of Israell wente vp, & wepte before the Lorde vnto euen, and asked of the Lorde, sayenge: shall we go agayne to battayle agaynst the chyldren of Ben Iamin our brethren? And the Lorde sayde: go vp a∣gaynst them. And the chyldrē of Israel came out agaynst the the chyldren of Ben Iamin the seconde day. And the chyldren of Ben Ia¦min went agaynst them out of Gibea, the se∣conde day, and destroyed to the earth of the chyldren of Israel once agayne. xviii. M. mē that drewe swerdes euery man of them.

Then the chyldren of Israell and all the [unspec D] people went vp and came vnto Bethell, and wepte and sat there before the Lorde, & fasted the same daye vnto euen, and offered burnt∣offerynges and peaceofferynges before the Lorde. And the chyldren of Israell asked the Lorde: for there was the arke of the appoynt¦ment of God, in those dayes. And ☞ Phine∣hes the sonne of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, waytyng vpon it at that tyme, sayde: shall I get me vp to go out any more to battayle a∣gaynst the chyldren of Ben Iamin my bre∣thren, or shall I cease? The Lorde sayde: go, for to morowe I wyl delyuer them in to your handes. And Israel set lyers awayte rounde aboute Gibea. And the chyldren of Israell went vp agaynst the chyldren of Ben Iamin the thyrde tyme, and put themselues in aray agaynst Gibea, as twyse before.

And the chyldren of Ben Iamin came [unspec E] out agaynste the people, and were drawen a∣way from the citye. And they began to smyte of the people deade (as twyse before, by two hygh wayes, of whiche one gothe vp to Be∣thel, and the other to Gibea thorow the felde) vpon a thyrtye men of Israell. And the chyl∣dren of Ben Iamin sayd. They are fallen be∣fore vs, as at the fyrste. But the chyldren of Israel sayd: let vs flee & plucke them awaye from the citye, vnto the hygh wayes. And all the men of Israel arose vp out of theyr place and put themselues in araye at Baal Tha∣mar. And lyke wyse the lyers in wayte of Is∣raell came forth out of theyr places, euen of the medowes that were about Gibea, & came agaynst Gibea: ten thousande chosen mē out of all Israel, and there was a sore battayle.

But the other wyst not that so greate euyll was so nygh them. And the lorde plaged Ben Iamin before Israel, and the chyldren of Is∣raell destroyed of the Beniamites the same day. xxv. thousand and an hundred men, that drewe swerdes euery one of them.

And when the chyldren of Ben Iamin saw [unspec F] that they were put to the worse, the men of Israell gaue rowme to the Beniamites, by∣cause they trusted vnto the lyers in wayte, which they had layde besyde Gibea. And the lyers in wayte hasted, and ran vpon Gibea, and went & smote all the citye with the edge of the swerde. And an appoyntment had the men of Israel from the lyers in wayte, that they shulde make a great smoke aryse vp out of the citye. And when the men of Israell sted in the battayle, Ben Iamin began to smyte dead of the chyldren of Israel, aboute a thyr∣tye persones, and sayde: the other are put to the worse before vs, as in the fyrst battayle. But when there began to aryse out of the ci∣tye a pyller of smoke, the Beniamites loked backe: and beholde, the wastynge of the hole citye began to ascende vp to heuen. When the men of Israel also turned agayne, the mē of Ben Iamin were abasshed: for they sawe that euyll approched them. And therfore they turned theyr backes before the men of Israel vnto the way that leadeth to the wyldernesse, but the men of warre ouertoke them.

And besyde that, they whiche came oute [unspec G] of the Citye, destroyed them in the myddest of them. And thus they compassed the Ben∣iamites about, and chased hym to Manuha,

and ouerran them to Gibea on the East syde and there were sleyne of Ben Iamin. xviii. thousande, which were all men of warre. And they turned and fled towarde the wyldernes, & vnto the rocke of Rimmon. And the other slue by the way of the rest of them, fyue thou∣sande mē, and stycked vnto them, vntyll they came to Gideom, and slue two thousande mē of them. So that all that were sleyne that same day of Ben Iamin were. xxv. thousand men that drue swerdes, whiche were all men of warre: only. vi. hundred men turned & fled to the wyldernesse, vnto the rocke of Rimmō and abode there iiii. monethes. And the men of Israel turned backe agayne vnto the chyl¦dren of Ben Iamin, & smote them with the edge of the swerde in the cityes, bothe man & beast, & al that came to hande, and set on fyre all the cityes that they coulde come by.

¶ The enhabiters of Gilead are vtterly destroyed

CAPI. XXI.

ANd euery man of Israel sware in Miz∣pa [unspec A] saynge: there shall none of vs gyue his doughter vnto any of Ben Iamin to wyfe. And the people came to Bethell / and abode there tyll euen before God, & lyfte vp theyr voyces, and wepte sore, and sayde: Oh lorde god of Israel, why is this chaūced in Israell, that there shulde be this day one tribe lackyng in Israel? And on the morowe the people tose vp be tyme, & made there an aulter, and offered but tofferynges and peace¦offerynges. And the chyldren of Israel asked who are they amonge al the tribes of Israel, that came not vp with the congregacyon vn∣to the lorde? for they had made a greate othe concernyng hym that came not vp to the lord to Mizpa, saynge: he shal surely dye. And the chyldren of Israel had pytie on Ben Iamin theyr brethren, and sayd: there is one tribe cut of from Israel this day: what shal we do vn∣to the remenaūt of them, that they may haue wyues? we haue sworne by the Lorde that we [unspec B] wyll not gyue them of our doughters to wy∣nes. And they sayde: Is there any of the tri∣bes of Israel, that came not vp to Mizpa to the Lorde? And beholde, there came none of the enhabitours of Iabes Gilead vnto the hoost and congregacion. For the people were vewed: & beholde, there were none of the en∣habitours of Iabes Gilead there. And they sent thyther a multitude, euen. xii. thousande men of the strongest of them, and cōmaūded them, saynge: go and smyte the enhabitours of Iabes Gilead with the edge of the swerde bothe women and chyldren. And this is it that ye shall do: vtterly destroy all the males and all the women that haue lyen by men. And they founde amonge the enhabytours of Iabes Gilead foure hundred damselles, vyrgyns, that had knowen no man, by lyeng with any male. And they brought them vnto the hoost to Silo, whiche is in the lande of Canaan. And the hole congregation sent & spake with the chyldren of Ben Iamin that were in the rocke of Rimmon, & called p••ace∣ably vnto them, & Ben Iamin came agayne at that tyme, & they gaue them wyues, which they had saued alyue of the women of Iabes [unspec C] Gilead. But they suffysed them not. And the people had compassyon on Ben Iamin, by∣cause that God had made a gap in the tribes of Israel. And then the elders of the congre∣gacyon, sayde: what shall we do to the reme∣naunt of them, to get them wyues, seynge al the wyues of Ben Iamin are destroyed? And they sayde: there must be an enheritaunce for them that be escaped of Ben Iamyn, that •• tribe be not destroyed out of Israel: Howbeit we may not gyue them wyues of our dough∣ters. For the chyldren of Israell had sworne, sayenge: cursed be he, that gyueth a wyfe to Ben Iamin. Then they sayd: beholde, there is a feast of the lorde yerely in Silo, which is on the north syde of Bethell, and on the east syde of the waye that gothe from Bethell to Sichem, and south from Libanon. Therfore they cōmaunded the chyldren of Ben Iamin saynge: go & lye in wayte in the vyneyardes▪ And when ye se that the doughters of Silo come oute to daunce in a rowe, then come ye out of the vyneyardes, and catche you euery man a wyfe of the doughters of Ben Iamin, [unspec D]

And when theyr fathers, or brethren come vnto vs to complane, we wyl say vnto them: haue pytie on vs for theyr sakes bycause we reserued not to eche man his wyfe in tyme of warre, ☞ Neyther haue ye gyu••n vnto them that ye shulde synne at this tyme. And the chyldren of Ben Iamin dyd euē so: and toke them wyues accordynge to the nombre of them that daunced whom they caught. And they wente, and returned vnto theyr enheri∣taunce, and repared the cityes, and dwelte in them. And the chyldren of Israell departed thence at that tyme, and wente euery man to his tribe, and to his kynred, and wente oute from thence euery man to his enheritaunce. In those dayes there was no kynge in Is∣raell: but euery man dyd that whiche serued ryght in his owne eyes.

¶ The ende of the boke of Iudges▪ called in the Hebrue, Sophism.

The boke of Ruth

¶ Elimelec goth with his wyfe and Chyldren into the lande of Moab.

CAPI. Primo.

[unspec A] IT fortuned that ❀ (in the dayes of a certayne Iudge) when the Iudges iudged, there fell a derthe in the lande, and a certayn man of Bethleem Iuda went for to sotourne in the countrey of Moab, he & his wyfe, and his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. sonn{is}. The name of the man was Eli∣melec, & the name of his wyfe, Naomi: & the names of his two sonnes were, Mahlon and Chilion, & they were Ephraites, out of Beth∣leem Iuda. And when they came in to the lande of Moab, they contynued there. And Elimelec Naomis husbande dyed, and she remayned with her two sonnes, whiche toke them wyues of the nacions of the Moabites the ones name was Orpha, and the others Ruth. And they dwelled there aboute a ten yere. And Mahlon & Chilion dyed also euen bothe of them, and the woman was lefte deso¦late of her two sonnes and of her husbande.

Then stode she vp with her doughters in lawe, & returned from the countrey of Moab [unspec B] for she had herde say in the coūtrey of Moab, howe that the Lorde had visited his people, and gyuen them breade. Wherfore she depar¦ted out of the place where she was, & her two doughters with her. And they went on theyr way to returne vnto the lande of Iuda. And Naomi sayd vnto her. ii. doughters in lawe: go and returne eche of you vnto youre mo∣thers house: and the Lorde deale as kyndly with you, as ye haue delte with the dead, and with me. And the lorde gyue you, that ye may fynde reste, eyther of you in the house of her husbande. And when she kyssed them, they lyfte vp theyr voyce, and wepte, and sayd vn to her: we wyll go with the vnto thy folke. And Naomi sayd: turne agayne my dough∣ters: for what cause wyll ye go with me? Are there any mo chyldren in my wombe, to be your husbandes?

Turne agayne my doughters, and go for I am to olde to haue an husbande. And yf I [unspec C] sayd. I haue hope, yf I toke a man also this nyght: yea and though I had all redy borne sonnes, wold ye tary after them, tyl they were of age? or wolde ye for them so long refrayne frō takynge of husband{is}? Not so my dough∣ters: for it greueth me moche for your sakes, that the hand of the lord is gone out agaynst me. And they lyfte vp theyr voyces, & wepte agayne, & Orpha kyssed her mother in lawe, but Ruth abode styl by her. And Naomi sayd Se, thy syster in lawe is gone backe agayne vnto her people and vnto her godd{is}: returne thou after her. And Ruth answered: entreate me not to leaue the, and to returne from after the: for whyther thou goest, I wyll go also: and where thou dwellest, there I wyll dwell: thy people shall be my people, & thy God my God, where thou dyest, there wyll I dye, and there wyll I be buryed. The Lorde do so and so to me, yf ought then death onely departe the and me asondre.

When she sawe that she was stedfastlye mynded to go with her, she lefte speakynge [unspec D] vnto her. And so they went bothe, vntyll they came to Bethleem. And whē they were come to Bethleem, it was noysed of them thorowe all the citye, and the women sayd: is not this Naomi? And she answered them: call me not Naomi ❀ (that is to say, beutyfull,) but call me Mara ❀ (that is to say, bytter.) for the almygh tye hath made me verye bytter. I wente out ful: & the lorde hath brought me home agayn emptye. Why then call ye me Naomi: seynge the lorde hath humbled me, and the almygh∣tye hath brought me vnto aduersyte. And so Naomi w^t Ruth the Moabitesse her dough∣ter in lawe returned oute of the countrey of Moab, and came to Bethleem, in the begyn∣nynge of barley haruest.

¶ Ruth gathereth corne in the ••eldes of Booz.

CAPI. II.

ANd Naomis husbande had a kynsman of strength, and myght, (whiche was of [unspec A] the kynred of Elimelec) named Booz. And Ruth the Moabitesse sayde vnto Nao∣mi: let me go to the felde, and gather eares of corne ❀ (suche as the reapers leaue) after any man in whose syght, I synde grace. And she sayde vnto her: go my doughter. And she went, and came to the felde, and gathered af∣ter the reapers, and her chaūce was, that the same felde perteyned vnto Booz, which was of the kynred of Elimelec. And behold, Booz came from Bethleem, and sayd vnto the rea∣pers: the lorde be with you. And they answe∣red hym: the Lorde blesse the.

Then sayd Booz vnto his yong man that stode by the reapers. Whose damsell is this? [unspec B]

And the yonge man that stode by the rea∣pers, answered and sayde: It is the Moabi∣ty she damsell, that came with Naomi out of the countrey of Moab, and she sayde vnto vs. Oh let me lease and gather after the rea∣pers, the eares that remayne: and so she came

and hath continued euen from the mornyng vnto nowe, saue that she taryed a lytell in the house. Then sayde Booz vnto Ruth: hearest thou my doughter: go to none other felde to gather, neyther go frō hence: but abyde here by my maydens. Let thine eyes be on the feld that they reape, and go thou after the may∣dens. Haue I not charged the yonge men, that they shall do the no hurte? Moreouer when thou arte a thyrst, go vnto the vessels, and drynke of that whiche the laddes haue drawen. Then she fell on her face & bowed her selfe to the grounde, and sayd vnto hym: howe is it that I haue founde grace in thyne eyes: and that thou shuldest know me, seyng I am an alyaunt?

And Booz answered and sayde vnto her•• [unspec C] all is tolde & shewed me, that thou hast done vnto thy mother in lawe, synee the death of thyne husbande, howe thou hast lefte thy fa∣ther and thy mother: & the lande where thou wast borne, & arte come vnto a nacyon which thou knewest not in tyme passed. The Lorde quyte thy worke, and a full rewarde be gyuē the of the Lorde god of Israell, vnder whose wynges thou arte come to abyde. Then she sayde: let me fynde fauoure in thy syght my Lorde, thou that hast conforted me, and spo∣ken hertely vnto thy mayde, whiche yet am not lyke vnto one of thy maydes. Booz sayde vnto her agayne: in tyme of refe••••yon come thou hyther, and eate of the breade, and dyp¦thy sop in the vyneygre. And she sat downe by the reapers, and he reached her parched corne: of the whiche she dyd eate, & was suffy∣sed, and lefte parte. And when she was rysen vp to gather, Booz cōmaūded his yong men saynge, let her gather euen amonge the hea∣pes, and forbyd her not. And leaue her some of the sheues for the nonce, & let it lye, that she may gather it vp ❀ (vvithout shame) and re∣buke her not. And se she gathered in the felde vntyl euen, & thresshed that she had gathered and it was in measure vpon an Epha ❀ (that is thre busshels) of barley.

And she toke it vp, and went in to the citie: [unspec D] and when her mother in lawe had sene what she had gathered, she plucked out also, and gaue to her that she had reserued, when she had eaten ynough. And her mother in lawe sayde vnto her: where hast thou gathered to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that knew the. And she shewed her mother in lawe how she had wrought with hym, and sayd: the mannes name w^t whom I wrought to daye is Booz. And Naomi sayde vnto her doughter in lawe: blessed be he of the Lorde, for he ceaseth not to do good to the lyuyng and to the deade. And Naomi sayde agayne vnto her: the man is nygh vnto vs, & of oure nexte kynne. And Ruth the Moabite sayde: he sayd vnto me also. Thou shalt be with my yonge men, vntyll they haue ended all my haruest. And Noami answered vnto Ruth her doughter in law: It is best my doughter that thou go out w^t his maydens, that they fall not vpon the in any other felde. And so she kepte her by the maydens of Booz, to ga∣ther, vnto the ende of Barley haruest, and of wheate haruest also: and dwelte with her mo∣ther in lawe.

¶ Ruth sleepeth at Booz feete, and is knowen his kynswoman.

CAPI. III.

THen Naomi her mother in lawe sayde vnto her: my doughter, shall I not seke [unspec A] rest for the, that thou mayst prosper? And is not Booz our kynsman, with whose maydens thou wast? Beholde, he wyndo•••••• barley to nyght in the threshyng flore: washe thy selfe therfore, and anoynte the, & put thy rayment vpon the, and get the downe to the barne. But let no man knowe of the, vutyl ••e haue lefte eatynge and drynkynge. And whē he gothe to slepe, marke the place where he layeth hym downe, and then go and lyfte vp the clothes, that are on his feete, and lay the downe there, and so shal he tel the what thou shalte do. And she answered her▪ all that thou byddest me, I wyl do.

And so she wente downe vnto the barne, [unspec B] and dyd accordyng to all that her mother in lawe bad her. And when Booz had eaten and dronken, and made hym merye, & was gone in, to lye downe besyde the heape of corne, she came softely, and lyfte vp the clothes of his fete, and layde her downe. And at mydnyght the man was afrayde and groped.

And beholde: a woman lay at his feete. And he sayde: what arte thou▪ she answered: I am Ruth thyne handmayde, spreade thy wynge ouer thyne handmayde, for thou arte the nexte of the hynne. He sayde: blessed be thou in the Lorde my doughter, for thou hast shewed moore goodnesse in the latter ende, then at the begynnynge, in as moche as thou folowedst not yonge men, whyther they were poore or ryche.

And nowe my doughter feare not, I wyl do to the all that thou requyrest, for all the [unspec C] Citye of my people dothe knowe, that thou arte a woman of vertue. And it is true that I am of thy nexte kynne: howe be it, there is one nygher then I.

Tary this nyght, and when mornynge is come, yf he wyll marry the, it is good, so let hym do But and yf he wyll not haue the, as sure as the lorde lyueth I wyll haue the: lye styll vntyll the mornynge. And so she laye at his feete vntyl the mornynge. And she arose vp before one coulde knowe another. And he sayde: let no man knowe, that there came any woman in to the barne.

And he sayd agayne: brynge thy mantell [unspec D] that thou hast vpon the, and holde it vp. And when she helde it vp, he met in syxe measures of barley, and layde it on her. And she gat her into the citye: and when she came in, to her mother in lawe, she sayde: howe is it with the my doughter? And she tolde her all that the man had done to her. And sayd also: these. vi. measures of barley gaue he me, and sayde: thou shalte not come emptye vnto thy mo∣ther in lawe. Then sayde she: my doughter, syt styll, vntyll thou knowe howe the matter wyll chaunce. For the man wyll not be in rest vntyll he haue fynysshed the thynge this same daye.

¶ Booz taketh Ruth to wyfe, of whome he begetteth Obed.

CAPI. IIII.

THen wente Booz vnto the gate, and sat [unspec A] him downe there: & beholde, the kynsmā of whiche Booz spake, came by. Unto whom he sayd: come and syt downe here, and called hym by his name. And he turned in & sat downe. And he toke ten men of the elders of the citie, and sayd. Syt••e downe here, and they sat downe. And he sayd vnto the kynsmā Noami that is come agayn out of the coun∣trey of Moab wyll sell a parcell of lande, whiche was our brother Elimeltes. And I thought to do the to wete, and byd the bye it before the enhabito••ts and elders of my peo¦ple. If thou be dysposed to redeme it, do: but and yf thou wylte not purchase it, then tel me that I may knowe. For there is none to cha∣lenge it, saue thou, and I nexte the. And the other answered: I wyll purchase it. Then sayde Booz, what daye thou byest the felde [unspec B] of the hande of Naomi, thou must take also Ruth the Moabite, the wyfe of the dead, to styrre vp the name of the dead vpon his en∣heritaunce. The kynsman answered: I can not purchase it, for marrynge of myne owne enheritaunce: take thou my ryght to the, for Iean not purchase it. Now this was the ma∣ner of olde tyme in Israell concernyng pur∣ches & chaungyng, for to stablysshe al thyng that a man must plucke of his shoo, & gyue it his neyghbour, and this was a sure wytnesse in Israell.

Therfore the kynsman sayd to Booz: Bye [unspec C] it thou: and so drewe of his shoo. And Booz sayd vnto the elders & vnto all the people: ye are wytnesses this day, that I haue bought all that was Elimelecs, & all that was Cht∣lions and Mahlons, of the hande of Naomi. And moreouer, Ruth the Moabite the wyfe of Mahlon, haue I purchased to be my wyfe to styrre vp the name of the deade vpon his enheritaunce, and that his name be not put out from amonge his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye are wytnesses this daye.

And all the people that were in the gate, & the elders sayde: we are wytnesses: the Lorde make the woman, that is come in to thyne house, lyke Rahel and Lea, whiche twayne dyd buylde the house of Israell: do thou also valyaūtly in Ephrata, & be famous in Beth∣leem. Thy house be lyke the house of Pharez whom Thamar bare vnto Iuda, euen of the seede whiche the Lorde shall gyue the of this yonge woman.

And so Booz toke Ruth, and she was his [unspec D] wyfe. And when he went in vnto her, the lord gaue that she conceyued, and bare a sonne. And the women sayd vnto Naomi: blessed be the Lorde, the whiche hath not lefte the with∣out a kynsman, to haue a name in Israell; •• that shall brynge thy lyfe agayne, & theryshe thyne olde age. For thy doughter in lawe, whiche loueth the, hath borne vnto hym: and she is better to the, then seuen sonnes. And Naomi toke the chylde, and layd it in her lap, and became nutse vnto it. And her neyghbours gaue it a name, sayeng: There is a Chylde borne to Nao∣mi, and called it, Obed: The same is the father of Isai, the father of Dauid. These are the generacions of Pha∣rez: Pharez begat Hezron: Hezon begat Ram: Ram begat Aminadab: Ami∣nadab begat Nahson: Nah∣son: begat Salmon: Sal mon begat Booz. Booz begat Obed, Obed begat Isai: Isai begat Dauid.

❧ The ende of the Boke of Ruth:

❧ The fyrst boke of Samuel called the fyrst boke of the kynges.

¶ Elkana hath two wyues, Hanna, and Phenenna.

CAPI. Primo.

THere was a man of☞ one [unspec A] of the ii. Ramathes (of the kinred of Zophim, of mount Ephraim) named Elkana, the sonne of Ieroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Thohu the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: whiche had two wyues, the one called Hanna, & the other Phenenna. And Phenenna had children, but Henna had none. And the sayd man wente vp out of his citie euery feastful day, to pray and to offre vnto the lorde of hoostes in Silo where were the two sonnes of Eli (Hophni & Phinehes) the Lordes preestes. And it fel on a solemyne day, that Elkana offered, & gaue to Phenenna his wyfe and to all her sonnes and doughters porcions. But ❀ vnto Hāna he gaue a porcyon with an heuy chere, for he loued Hanna, and the Lorde had made her barren. And her enemye (Phenenna) vexed her a good, to moue her, bycause the Lorde had made her barren. And so dyd she yere by yere as ofte as she wente vp to the house of the lorde. And so chafed her, whiche wepte, & dyd not eate.

Then sayde Elkana her husbande to her: Hanna, why wepest thou? & why eatest thou [unspec B] not? and why is thyne herte troubled? am not I better to the then ten sonnes? So Hanna rose vp after that they had eaten and dronken in Silo. And Eli the preest sat vpon a stole by one of the syde postes of the temple of the Lorde. And she was troubled in her mynde, and prayed vnto the lorde, and wepte sore, and vowed a vowe, and sayde.

Oh Lorde of hoostes, yf thou wylte loke on the trouble of thyne handmayde, and remem¦bre me, and not forget thyne handmayde, but gyue vnto thyne handmayde a man chylde: I wyll gyue hym vnto the lorde al the dayes of his lyfe & there shal no raser come vpon his heade. And as she contynued prayenge before the lorde it fortuned, that Eli marked her mouth. For Hāna spake in her herte, and her lyppes dyd but moue only, but her voyce was not herde. And therfore Eli thought she had bene dronken, and Eli sayde vnto her. Howe long wylte thou be dronken? put away from the, the wyne that thou hast.

Hanna answered, and sayde: not so my [unspec C] Lorde, I am a woman of a sorowfull herte, I haue dronke neyther wyne, nor stronge drynke, but haue ☞ powred out my soule before the lorde. Count not thyne handmayd to be lyke a doughter of Belial, for out of the aboundaunce of my heuynesse, and greefe, haue I spoken hytherto.

Eli answered her agayne, and sayd: go in peace: the God of Israell graunt the thy pe∣ticion, that thou hast asked of him. She sayd let thyne handmayd fynd grace in thy syght. And so the woman went her waye, and dyd eate, and loked no more so sad. And they rose vp early, and worshypped before the Lorde, and then returned and came to theyr house to Ramath. And when Elkana knewe Hāna his wyfe, the lorde remembred her: for in pro∣cesse of tyme it came to passe, that she concey∣ued, and bare a sonne, and called his name Samuel (sayenge.) Bycause I haue asked hym of the lorde. And Elkana & all his house went vp to offre vnto the Lorde, the offeryng due for the feast, and also ☞ his vowe.

Neuerthelesse Hāna went not vp, but sayd [unspec D] vnto her husbande: I wyl tary vntyll the lad be weyned, and then I wyll bryng hym, that he may apeare before the lorde, & there abyde for euer. Elkana her husbande answered her: do what semeth the best: tarye at home, vntyll thou hast weyned hym, and I beseche the Lorde, to make good his saynge. And so the woman abode and gaue her sonne sucke, vntyll she weyned hym. And when she had weyned him, she toke hym with her, with thre bullockes▪ and an Epha of floure, and a bot∣tel of wyne, and brought hym vnto the house of the Lorde in Silo, and the chylde was yet but tender of age. And they slewe a bullocke, and brought in the lad to Eli, and she sayde. Oh my Lorde: as truely as thy soule lyueth, my Lorde, I am the woman that stode before the here, prayenge vnto the Lorde. For this lad I prayed, and the Lorde hathe gyuen me my desyre, whiche I asked of hym: and ther∣fore I haue gyuen hym vnto the Lorde, as longe as he is mete for the Lorde. And they worshyped the Lorde there.

¶ The songe of Hanna. The offence of the sonnes of Eli.

CAPI. II.

ANd Hanna prayed and sayd: myne hert [unspec A] reioyseth in the Lorde, & myne ☞ horne is exalted in the Lorde. My mouth is wyde open ouer myne enemyes, for I reioyse in thy saluacyon. There is none so holy as the Lorde: for without the is nothyng. Ney∣ther is there any of strength as is our God.

Talke not to moche proudlye: let olde thyn¦ges departe out of youre mouthes, for the Lorde is a God of knowledge, & his purpo∣ses come to passe. The ☞ bowe of the strong is broken: & they that were weake, haue gyr∣ded them selues with strength.

They that were ful, haue hyred out them [unspec B] selues for breade: and they that were hungry cease so to be, tyll the baren hath borne seuen: and she that had many chyldren is waxed fe∣ble. The Lorde kylleth, and maketh alyue: ☞ bryngeth downe to hell, and fetcheth vp agayne. The Lorde maketh poore, and ma∣keth ryche: bryngeth low, and heaueth vp on hye. He rayseth vp the poore out of the dust and lyfteth vp the begger from the dunghyl: to set them amonge prynces, and to enherite them with the seate of glory. For the pyllers of the earth are the lordes, and he hath set the rounde worlde vpon them. He wyll kepe the feete of his sayntes, and the wicked shal kepe sylence in darkenesse, & in his owne myght shall no man be stronge. The Lordes ad∣uersaries shall be destroyed of hym: and out of heuen shall he thunder vpon them.

The Lorde shall iudge the endes of the worlde, and shal gyue myght vnto his kyng, [unspec C] and exalte the horne of his anoynted.

And Elkana went to Ramath to his house, and the lad dyd ministre vnto the Lorde be∣fore Eli the preest. But the sonn{is} of Eli were ☞ chyldren of Belial, & knewe not the lorde. And the preestes made a l••we for the people, that when soeuer any man offered any offe∣rynge, the preestes lad came, whyle the fleshe was in sethynge, and a flesshe hoke with thre teeth in his hande, and thrust it in to the pan, ketle, caldron, or pot. And all that the flesshe hoke brought vp, that the preest toke awaye. And so they dyd vnto all the Israelites, that came thyther to Silo. Yea and therto, before they burnt the fat, the preestes lad came and sayde to the man that offered: Gyue flesshe that I may dresse it for the preest, for he wyll not haue sodden flesshe of the, but rawe.

And yf any man sayd vnto hym: let them burne the fat accordyng to the day, and then [unspec D] take as moche as thyne herte desyreth. The lad wolde answere him, yea, thou shalte gyue it me now: And yf thou wylte not, I wyl take it with violence. And the synne of the yonge men was very great before the lorde.

For men abhorred the offerynge of the lorde.

But the chylde Samuel ☞ ministred be∣fore the Lorde / gyrded aboute with a lynnen ☞ Ephod. Moreouer his mother made hym a lytell coote, and brought it to hym frome yere to yere, when she came vp with her hus∣bande to offre the offerynge in the solempne feastes. And Eli blessed Elkana and his wife & sayd: the lorde gyue the seede of this womā for the peticion that she asked of the Lorde.

And they went vnto theyr owne home. And the Lorde visited Hanna, so that she concey∣ued and bare thre sonnes and two dough∣ters. And the chylde Samuel grewe before the Lorde.

Eli was very olde, and herde all that his sonnes dyd vnto all Israell, and howe they [unspec E] lay with the women that wayted at the dore of the Tabernacle of wytnesse, and he sayde vnto them: why do ye suche thynges? For of all these people I heare euyl reportes of you. Oh, nay my sonnes: for it is no good reporte that I heare, howe that ye make the Lordes people to trespasse. If one man syn agaynste an other, ❀ dayesmen may be iudges: but yf a man synne agaynst the Lorde, who wyll be his dayesman? Notwithstandyng, they her∣kened not vnto the voyce of theyr father, by∣cause the Lorde wolde sley them. The chylde Samuel profited and grewe, and was in fauour both with the Lorde & also with men. And there came a man of God vnto Eli, and [unspec F] sayd vnto hym: thus sayth the Lorde: dyd not I appeare vnto the house of thy father, whē they were in Egypte subiecte vnto Pharaos house? And I chose thy father out of all the tribes of Israell to be my Preest, for to offre vpon myne aulter, & to burne insence, & and to weare an Ephod before me.

And I gaue vnto the house of thy father all the offrynges of the chyldrē of Israel. Wher¦fore treade ye downe my sacrifice and myne offerynge, whiche I cōmaunded to be made in the Tabernacle, and honourest thy Chyl∣dren aboue me, to make youre selues fat of the fyrst fruytes of all the offerynges of Is∣rael my people?

Wherfore the Lorde god of Israell sayth: I sayde, that thy house, and the house of thy father shulde walke before me, for euer. [unspec G]

But nowe the lorde saythe: that be farre from me: for them that worshyp me, I wyll worshyp: and they that despyse me, shal come to shame. Beholde, the dayes come, that I wyll cut of thyne arme, and the arme of thy fathers house, that there shall not be an elder in thyne house. And thou shalte se thyne ene∣mye in the tabernacle, & in al that shal please Israel, & there shall not be an elder in thyne house for euer. Neuerthelesse, I wyll not de∣destroye all the males that come of the, from myne aulter. But to make thyne eyes dase,

and to make thyne herte melte. And all they that be multiplied in thyne house, shal dye, yf they be men. And this shall be a sygne vn¦to the, that shall come vpon thy two sonnes, Hophni and Phinehes: euen in one daye they shall dye bothe. And I wyll styrre me vp a faythfull preest that shall do accordyng to my herte and mynde. And I wyll buylde hym a sure house. And he shall walke before myne anoynted for euer. And they that are lefte in thyne house, shall come and crouche to hym for a lytle pece of syluer and a cake of breade, and shall saye: put me I praye the in one offyce or other amonge the preestes, that I maye eate a morsell of breade.

¶ The Lorde called Samuell thre tymes.

CAPI. III.

ANd the chylde Samuell minystred vn [unspec A] to the lorde before Eli: and ☞ the worde of the Lorde was precyous in those dayes, neyther was there any open visyon. And it chaunsed at that tyme, that Eli laye in his place, and his eyes began to ware dyu•• that he coulde not se. And ere the lampe of god went out, Samuel layde hym downe to slepe in the temple of the Lorde, where the arke of God was. And the Lorde called Sa∣muell, and he sayde: here am I, and he ran vnto Eli, and sayde: here am I, for thou cal∣ledst me. And he sayde I called the not: go a∣gayne and slepe. And he went, and layde him downe to slepe. And the Lorde called once a∣gayne, Samuell: and Samuel arose & went to Eli, and sayde: I am here, for thou dydest call me. And he answered: I called the not my Sonne.

Go agayne and take thy rest: ☞ Samuel [unspec B] knewe not yet the Lorde, neyther was the worde of the Lorde yet opened vnto hym.

And the Lorde went to, and called Samuell the thyrde tyme. And he arose and went to Eli and sayd: I am here, for thou hast called me. And Eli perceyued that the lorde had called the chylde. Therfore, Eli sayde to Samuell: go, and lye downe: and yf he cal the agayne, then saye: speake on Lorde, for thy seruaunt heareth. So Samuell went, and layde hym downe in his place. And the Lorde came and stode, and called as before, Samuel Samu∣ell. Samuell answered: speake on, for thy ser¦uaunt heareth. And the Lorde sayde to Sa∣muell: beholde, I wyll do a thyng in Israel / that bothe the eares of as many as heareth it, shall tyngle. In that daye I wyll rayse vp agaynst Eli, that which I haue spoken con∣cernynge his house, from the begynnynge to the endynge. I haue tolde hym. that I wyl iudge his house foreuer. For the wyckednes whiche he knoweth. ❀ For when the people cursed his sonnes for the same wyckednesse / he hath not correcte them.

And therfore I haue sworne vnto the house [unspec C] of Eli, that the wyckednesse of Elies house / shall not be pourged with sacrifyce nor offe∣rynge, for euer. Samuell laye tyll the mor∣nynge, & opened the dores of the house of the Lorde. And Samuel feared, to shew Eli the visyon. Then Eli called Samuell, & sayde: Samuell my Son. And he answered: here I am. He sayde: what is that (the Lorde) hath sayd vnto the? Se thou hyde it not from me. God do so and so to the, yf thou hyde any thynge from me, of all that he sayd vnto the.

And Samuell tolde hym euerye whyt / and hyd nothynge from hym. And he sayde, it is the lorde, let hym do what semeth hym best.

And Samuell grewe, and the Lorde was with hym, and lefte none of his wordes vn∣per formed. And all Israell frō Dan to Ber∣sabe wyst that faythfull Samuel was made the Lordes prophet. And the lorde appeared agayne in Silo: for the Lorde opened hym selfe to Samuell in Silo, thorow the worde of the Lorde.

¶ The arke of the Lorde is taken. Eli & his ••hridren 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

CAPI. IIII.

ANd Samuell spake vnto all Israell. [unspec A] ❀ And it fortuned that in those dayes the Philistynes came togyther to syght.) And Israell wen•• cut agaynst the Philisti∣nes to battayle, and pytched besyde ☞ the helpe stoone. And the Philistines pytched in Aphek. And put them selues in araye a∣gaynst Israel. And in the ende of the batrayl Israell was put to the worse before the Phi∣listines. And the Philistines slewe in at aye alonge by the feld{is}, aboute a foure thousand men. And when the people were come in to theyr tentes, the elders of Israelll sayd: wher fore hath the Lorde cast vs downe this daye before the Philistines? let vs fetche the Arke of the appoyntment of the lorde out of Silo vnto vs, that when it cōmeth amonge vs, it may saue vs out of the hande of our enemye.

And so the people sent to Silo, & fet from [unspec B] thence the Arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde of hoostes, whiche dwelleth bytwene the Cherubyns. And there were the two son∣nes of Eli, Hophni & Phinehes w^t the Arke of the appoyntment of God. And it fortuned that when the Arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde came in to the hooste, all Israell showted a myghtye showte, so that the arthe range agayne, And when the Philistines

herde the noyse of the shoute, they sayd: what meaneth the soude of this myghtye shoute in the hooste of the Hebrues? And they vnder∣stode, howe that the Arke of the Lorde was come into the host. And the Philistines were afrayde, & sayde: God is come into the hoost. And they sayd agayn: wo vnto vs, for it was neuer so before this. Wo vnto vs, who shall delyuer vs out of the hande of these mightie Goddes? these are the goddes that smote the Egyptians with so many plages in the wyl∣dernesse. Be stronge & quite oure selues lyke men O ye Philistines, that ye be not seruaū∣tes vnto the Hebrues, as they haue ben to you. Be men therfore and fyght.

And the Philistines fought, and Israell [unspec C] was put to the worse, and fled, euery man in to his tent. And there was an ercedyng great slaughter, for there were ouer throwen of Is∣raell, thyrtye thousande footemen. And the arke of God was taken, & the two sonnes of Eli. Hophni, and Phinekes were deade. And there ran a man of Ben Iamin out of the araye, and came to Silo the same daye, with his clothes rent & earth vpon his head. And when he came, Eli sat vpon a stoole and loked towarde the waye: for his herte feared for the arke of God. And when the man came into the citye & tolde it, al the citye cryed. And when Eli herde the noyse of the cryenge, he sayde: What meaneth the noyse of that ru∣mour? And the man came in hastely, & tolde Eli. Eli was foure score and eyghtene yeare olde, & his syght fayled hym that he coulde not se. And the man sayde vnto Eli: I am he that came out of the aray, & fled this day out of the hooste. And he sayde, what thynge is fortuned my son? The messenger answered, [unspec D] and sayde: Israell is fled before the Philisti∣nes▪ & there is a great slaughter chaunsed a∣monge the people, & thy two sonnes, Hophni and Phines are deade, and the arke of God is taken. And it fortuned that when he made mencion of the arke of God. Eli fell from of his stoole backeward vpon the thresholde of the gate, and his necke brake, and he dyed: for he was an olde man and heuye, and iud∣ged Israell fourtye yeres. And his doughter in lawe Phinehes wyfe was with chylde and nygh the byrth. And when she herde the ty∣dynges that the arke of god was taken, and that her father inlawe, & her husbande were deade▪ she bowed her selfe, and traueyled, for her paynes came vpon her. And aboute the tyme of her death, the women that stode a∣boute her, sayde vnto her: teare not, for thou hast borne a sonne. But she answered not, nor regarded it. And she named the chylde I∣chabod, sayenge: The glorye is departed frō Israell. Bycause the arke of god was taken, and bycause of her father inlaw and her hus∣bande. And she sayde agayne: The glorye is gone frō Israell, for the arke of god is taken

¶ Dagon the god of the Philistynes, to cast ••••a•• before the arke.

CAPI. V.

AND the Philistines toke the Arke of [unspec A] god, and caryed it from the helpe stone, vnto Asdod: agayne, the Philistines toke the arke of God, and brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. And when they of Asdod were vp in the mornyng beholde, Dagon laye vpon the earth before the arke of the lorde. And they toke Dagon, and set hym in his place agayne. And when they were vp carlye in the nexte mornyng, be¦holde, Dagon laye vpon the grounde before the Arke of the Lorde, and his heede and his two handes cut of vpon the thresholde, that ☞ only the shap of a fyshe was lefte on hym. And therfore is it, that the preest{is} of Dagon, (neyther any man that cōmeth into Dagons house) treade not on the threshold of Dagon in Asdod, vnto this daye.

But the hande of the Lorde was heuye [unspec B] vpon them of Asdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerodes, bothe Asdod and in all the coostes therof. ❀ (The vyllages also and the feldes in the myddest of the coun∣trey vvere full, and there came vp myce, and it vvas a confusyon of a great death in the citye) And when the men of Asdod saw that it was so, they sayde: the arke of the God of Israell shall not abyde here with vs, for his hande is sore vpon vs and vpon Dagon our God. They sent therfore & gathered all the lordes of the Philistines vnto them, and sayd: what shall we do with the arke of the god of Isra∣ell? They answered: let the arke of the god of Israell be caryed aboute vnto Gath. And they caryed the arke of the god of Israell a∣boute. And it fortuned, that when they had caryed it aboute, there was by the hande of the lorde a myghtye great noyse in the citye, and he smote the men of the citye both small [unspec C] and great, and they had secrete dyseases. ❀ (And the Gethites toke councell, and made them selues preuye seates of skynnes.) Therfore they sent the arke of god to Akaron.

And as soone as the arke of God came to Akaron, the Akaronites cryed out, sayenge: they haue brought the arke of the God of Is∣raell to vs: to sley vs and our people. And so they sent, and gathered togyther all the lord{is}

of the Philistines, and sayde: sende away the arke of the god of Israell, to go agayne vn∣to his owne place, that it sley vs not, and our people. For there was a deadly noyse thorow out all the citye, and the hande of God was excedynge sore there. And the men that dyed not, were smyten with the Emerod{is}, and the crye of the citye went vp to heuen.

¶ The kyne brynge home the Arke with the rewardes.

CAPI. VI.

THe arke of the Lorde was in the coun∣trey [unspec A] of the Philistines seuen monethes: & the Philistines called for the preestes and the sothsayers, saynge: what shall we do with the arke of the Lorde? tell vs, wherwith we shall sende it home agayne? They sayde: Yf you sende the Arke of the God of Israell home agayne, sende it not emptye: But re∣warde it with a trespasseofferynge, and then ye shall be hoole, & it shall be knowen to you, why his hand departeth not from you. Then sayde they: And what shal be the trespasseof∣ferynge, whiche we shall rewarde hym with? They answered: fyue golden a••sses, and fyue golden myce, accordynge to the nombre of the Lordes of the Philistines. For it is one maner of plage on you all, & on your lordes. Wherfore ye shal make ymages lyke to your arsses, & ymages lyke to your myce that cor∣rupt the lande, and ye shall gyue glorye vnto the god of Israel, that he may take his hand from of you, & from of your goddes, & from of your lande. Wherfore do ye harden youre [unspec B] hertes as the Egyptians & Pharao harde∣ned theyr hertes? whiche when he toke on a∣gaynst them, dyd they not let the people go, & they departed? Nowe therfore make a newe carte, & take two mylche kyne, on whose neck there hath come no yocke. And tye the kyne to the carte, & brynge the calues home from them. And take the arke of the Lorde, & laye it vpon the carte, and put the Iuels of golde (whiche ye rewarde hym with for a synoffe∣rynge) in a coofer by the syde therof, & sende it away, that it maye go. And yf ye se that he go vp by the way of his owne coost, to Beth∣sames, then it is he that dyd vs this greate euyll. Yf no, we shall knowe then, that it is not his hande that smote vs, but it was a chaunce that happened vs. And the men dyd euen so: and toke two kyne that gaue mylke, and tyed them to the carte, and kepte the cal∣ues at home, and they layde the Arke of the [unspec C] Lorde vpon the carte, and the coofer with the myce of golde, and with the ymages of theyr arsses. And the kyne toke the streyght waye to Bethsames, and went one waye: & as they went, lowed and turned neyther to the ryght hande nor to the lefte. And the Lordes of the Philistines went after them, vntyll the bor∣ders of Bethsames. And they of Bethsames were reapyng theyr wheate heruest in the va¦leye. And they lyfte vp theyr eyes, and spyed the arke. And reioysed when they sawe it. And the carte came in to the felde of one Io∣sua a Bethsamite, and stode styl there. There was also a greate stoone. And they claue the wood of the carte & offered the kyne a burnt∣offerynge vnto the Lorde. And the Leuytes toke downe the arke of the lorde & the coofer that was with it, wherin the Iuels of golde were, and put them on the great stone. And the men of Bethsames sacrificed burntsacri∣fyce, and offered offerynges that same daye vnto the Lorde. And when the fyue Lordes of the Philistines had sene it, they returned [unspec D] to Akarō the same day. And these are the gol¦den arsses whiche the Philistines gaue to a∣mendes for a trespasseofferynge, to the lorde: for Asdod one: for Gaza one: for Askalon one: for Gath one: and for Akaron one. And golden myce, accordynge to the nombre of al the cityes of the Philistines, euen accordyng to the fyue Lordes: bothe of walled townes, & of townes vnwalled, euen vnto the greate stone of lamentacion, wheron they set downe the arke of the lorde, which stone remayneth vnto this daye / in the felde of Iosua the Bethsamite. And he plaged the men of Beth∣sames, bycause they had sene the Arke of the lorde. And he slewe amonge the people fiftye thousande, & thre score and ten men. And the other people lamented, bycause the lorde had sleyne the people with so great a slaughter. Wherfore the men of Bethsames sayd: who is able to stande before the Lorde so hooly a God: & to whome shall he go from vs? And they sent messēgers to the enhabyters of Ka∣riath Iarim, sayenge: The Philistines haue brought agayne the arke of the Lorde: come ye downe therfore, and fet it vp to you.

¶ The Arke is brought to Kariathiarim.

CAPI. VII.

ANd so the men of Kariathiarim came / [unspec A] and fet vp the Arke of the Lorde, and brought it in to the house of Abina∣dab in Gibea, and ☞ sanctifyed Eleazar his son, to kepe the arke of the Lorde. And whyle the arke abode in Kariathiarim, the dayes multiplied, & there passed ouer twentie yeres and all the house of Israell lamēted after the lorde. And Samuell spake vnto al the house of Israell, saynge: yf ye be come agayne vn∣to the Lorde with all your hertes, then * put 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

of the house, sayenge: Up, that I maye sende the awaye. And Saull arose. And they wente out at the dores both be & Samuel. And when they were come almoost out of the towne. Samuell sayde to Saull: byd the lad go be∣fore vs (& he went before) but stande y^u styll a whyle, that I may shew the what god sayeth.

¶ Saull is annoynted kynge, and prophesyeth.

CAPI. X.

ANd then Samuel toke a vessel of oyle / [unspec A] and powred it vpon his heade, & kys∣sed hym, and sayde: hath not the Lorde anoynted the, to be captayne ouer his enhery¦taunce ❀ (and thou shalte deliuer his people out of the handes of theyr enemyes, vviche are rounde aboute them. And this token shalt thou haue, that the LORDE hath annoynted the to be prynce.) When thou art departed from me this daye / thou shalte fynde two men by Rahels sepulchre in the border of Ben Ia∣min, euen at Zalezah. And they wyll saye vn∣to the: the Asses whiche thou wentest to seke / are founde. And lo, thy father hath lefte the care of the asses, & soroweth for you, sayenge: what shall I do for my son? Then shalt thou go forth from thence, and shalte come to the playne of Thabor. And there shall mete the thre men goynge vp, ☞ to God to Bethell: one caryenge thre kyddes, & another caryeng thre loues of breade: and another caryenge a bottell of wyne. And they wyl salute the, and gyue the two loues of breade, whiche thou shalt receyue of theyr hand{is}. After that shalt thou come to the hyll of God, where the Phi∣listines [unspec B] kepe theyr watche. And when thou arte come thyther to the citie, thou shalt mete ☞ a company of prophettes cōmyng downe frō the hyll, with a psaltre, a tymbrel, a pype / and a harpe before them, & ☞ they shall pro∣phesye. And the spiryte of the lorde wyl come vpon the also, & thou shalte prophesye, with them, and shalt be turned into another man. Therfore when these sygnes are chaunced the, do what thou hast to do, for God is with the. And thou shalt go before me to Gylgal. And I also wyll come downe vnto the, to sa∣crifye, burntsacrifyces, and to offre peaceof∣ferynges. Tary for me seuen dayes, vntyll I come to the, and shewe the what thou shalt do. And as soone as he had turned his shoul¦der to go from Samuell, god gaue hym an∣other maner of herte, and all those tokens came to passe that same daye. And when they came to the hyll: beholde, the companye of prophettes met hym, and the Spiryte of God came vpon hym also, he prophesyed a∣monge them. And al that knewe him before / when they sawe that he prophesyed amonge the prophettes, they sayde eche to other: what is this that is happened vnto the son of Cis? [unspec C] Is Saull also amonge the Prophettes? And one of the same place answered, & sayde: who is theyr father? And therof came the pro¦uerbe what, is ☞ Saull also among the pro¦phettes? And when he had made an ende of prophesienge, he came to the hyl. And Saules fathers brother sayde vnto hym & to his lad: whyther went ye? He sayde: to seke the Asses: & when we sawe that they were no where, we came to Samuell. And Sauls vncle sayd, tell me what Samuell sayde vnto you? Saull answered his vncle: he tolde vs plainly, that the asses were founde: But of the kyngdome wherof Samuell spake, tolde he him not. And Samuell called the people togyther vnto the lorde to Mizpa, & sayde vnto the chyldren of Israell: thus sayeth the lorde god of Israell: I brought Israell out of Egypte, and dely∣uered you out of the hande of the Egyptians & out of the handes of all kyngdomes that troubled you. And ye haue this daye caste awaye youre God that helped you out of all your aduersityes and tribulacyons. And ye haue sayde vnto hym: make a kynge ouer vs. Nowe therfore stande ye before the lorde by your trybes & your thousand{is}. And when Samuell had brought all the trybes of Is∣raell, [unspec D] the trybe of Ben Iamin was caught. When he had brought the trype of Ben Ia∣min by theyr kynreds, the kynred of Matri was caught: & at the last Saull the sonne of Cis was caught. And whē they sought him, he coulde not be founde. Therfore they as∣ked the lorde further, yf the man shuld come thyther. And the Lorde answered: beholde, he hathe hyd hymselfe amonge the stuffe. And they ran, & set him thence. And when he stode among the peple, he was hyer then any of the people, frō the shoulders vpwarde. And Sa¦muell sayde to all the peple: Se ye not hym / whome the lorde hath chosen, & howe there is none lyke hym amonge the people? And all the peple showted and sayde: God lende the kynge lyfe. Then Samuell tolde the people ☞ the dutye of the kyngdome, & wrote it in a booke, and layde it vp before the Lorde / and sent all the people awaye / euery man to his house. And Saul also went home to Gi∣bea. And there ❀ folowed hym stronge men, whose hertes God had touched. But the chyl¦dren of Beliall, sayde: howe shall he saue vs? And they despised hym, and brought hym no presentes. And he helde his tongue.

¶ The people renueth the kyngdome of Saull.

CAPI. XI.

NAhas the Ammonite came, and beseged [unspec A] Iabes in Gilead. And all the men of Iabes sayd vnto Nahas: make a coue∣naunt with vs, & we wyll be thy seruauntes. And Nahas the Ammonite answered them: In this wyll I make a couenaunt w^t you, yf I maye thrust out all youre ryght eyes, and brynge that shame vpō all Israel. To whom the elders of Iabes sayd: gyue vs. vii. dayes respyte: that we may sende messengers vnto all the coostes of Israel. And then yf there be no man to helpe vs, we wyll come out to the.

Then came the messengers to Gibea vnto [unspec B] Saul, and tolde this tydynges in the eares of the people. And all the people lyfte vp theyr voyces & wepte. And beholde, Saull came fo∣lowynge the cattell out of the felde, & Saull sayd: what ayleth this peple that they wepe? And they tolde hym the tydynges of the men of Iabes. And the spiryte of god came vpon saull, when he herde those tydynges, and he was excedynge angrye, and toke a yocke of oxen, & he wed them in peces, & sent them tho∣roweout all the coostes of Israell by the han¦des of messengers, sayenge: whosoeuer com∣meth not forth after Saul, & after Samuel, so shall his oxen be serued. And ☞ the feare of the Lorde fell on the people, & they came out as it had ben but one man. And when he nombred them in Bezek, the chyldren of Is¦raell [unspec C] were. CCC. M. men / & the men of Iu∣da. xxx. M. And they sayde vnto the messen∣gers that came: so saye vnto the men of Ia∣bes in Gilead: to morow by that tyme the son be hote, ye shall haue helpe. And the messen∣gers came & shewed the men of Iabes, which were glad. Therfore the men of Iabes sayd: to morowe we wyll come out vnto you, and ye shall do w^t vs all that pleaseth you. And on the morowe it fortuned, that Saull put the people in thre partes. And they came in vpon the hoost in the mornynge watche, and slewe the Ammonites, vntyll the heate of the day. And they that remayned, were skattred: so that two of them were not lefte togyther. And the people sayde vnto Samuell: what is he that dare say: shall Saull reygne ouer vs▪ brynge those men, that we may sley them

And Saull sayde: there shall no man dye [unspec D] this daye, for to daye the Lorde hath saued Israell. Then sayde Samuell vnto the peo∣ple, come, that we maye go to gylgall, ☞ and renewe the kyngdome there. And all the peo∣ple went to Gilgall, and made Saull kynge there, before the Lorde in Gilgall. And there they offered peaceofferyng{is} before the Lorde. And there Saull and all the men of Israell reioysed excedyngly.

¶ Samuell declareth hym selfe to be an innocent Iudge.

CAPI. XII.

SAmuell sayde vnto all Israell: beholde, [unspec A] I haue herkened vnto your voyce in all that ye sayde vnto me, & haue made you a kynge. Now therfore your kynge walketh before you. And I am olde & graye headed: & beholde, my sonn{is} are with you, and I haue walked before you from my chyldhode vnto this daye. Beholde, here I am: beare recorde of me before the lorde & before his anoynted: Whose oxe haue I taken? or whose Asse haue I taken: whome haue I done wronge to? ❀ Whome haue I hurte? Or of whose hande haue I receyued any brybe, to blynde myne eyes therwith? & I wyl restore it you a∣gayne. They sayd: y^u hast done vs no wrong / nor hurte vs, neyther hast thou taken ought of any mannes hande. He sayd vnto them a∣gayne: the Lorde is wytnesse & gaynst you & his anoynted is wytnesse this daye, that ye haue foūde nought in my handes. And they answered: he is wytnesse. And Samuel sayd vnto the people: it is ❀ the Lorde, that made [unspec B] Moses and Aaron, & that brought youre fa∣thers out of the lande of Egypt. Nowe ther∣fore stande styll, that I may reason with you before the Lorde, accordynge to all ☞ the ryghtousnesse of the Lorde, which he shewed bothe you & you•• fathers. After that Iacob was come into Egypte, & your fathers cryed vnto the Lorde, the Lorde sent Moses▪ and Aaron, whiche brought youre fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. And when they forgat the Lorde theyr god he delyuered them in to the hande of Sisara captayne of the hooste of Hazor, and in to the hande of the Philistines, and in to the hande of the kynge of Moab, & they fought agaynst them. And they cryed vnto the lorde and sayde: we haue synned, bycause we haue forsaken the Lorde, and haue serued Baalim and Astharoth. Nowe therfore delyuer vs out of the handes of our enemyes & we wyll serue the. And the Lorde sent ☞ Ierobaall / Badan ‡ Iephthah, & Samuell, and dely∣uered you out of the hand{is} of your enemyes on euery syde, and ye dwelled safe. And for al that, when ye sawe that Nahas the kynge of the chyldren of Ammō came agaynst you, ye sayde vnto me: not so, but a kynge shall reygne ouer vs, when yet the lorde your god was your kynge. Nowe therfore, beholde the kynge whome ye haue chosen, and whome ye haue desyred: so, the Lorde hath set a kynge

ouer you. Yf ye wyll feare the Lorde & serue hym, and heare his voyce, and not dysobeye the worde of the Lorde: bothe ye & the kynge that reygneth ouer you, shall folow the lorde your God. Yf ye wyll not herken vnto the voyce of the Lorde, but dysobeye the Lordes mouth: then shall the hande of the Lorde be vpon you and on youre fathers. Nowe also stande, and se this great thynge, whiche the Lorde wyl do before your eyes: is it not now wheatheruest? I wyl call vnto the lorde, and ☞ he shall sende thunder and rayne: that ye maye perceyue and se, howe that youre wyc∣kednesse is great, whiche ye haue done in the syght of the Lorde, in askynge you & Kynge. [unspec D] And so Samuell called vnto the Lorde, & the lorde sent thunder & rayne the same day. And all the people feared the Lorde, and Samuell excedynglye. And all the people sayde vnto Samuell: praye for thy seruauntes vnto the Lorde thy God, that we dye not: for we haue synned in askynge vs a kynge, besyde all the synnes that euer we dyd.

And Samuell sayde vnto the people: feare not. Ye haue in dede done all this wycked∣nesse, yet departe not from folowynge of the Lorde. But serue hym euen with all youre hertes. Neyther turne ye after vayne thyng{is} whi•••• are not able to profyt you, for they are but vanitie. For the Lorde wyll not forsake his peple, bycause of his greate names sake: bycause ❀ it hath pleased the Lorde, to make you his people. Moreouer, God forbyd that I shulde synne agaynst the ☞ Lorde, & cease prayenge for you, but to shewe you the good, and ryght way. Therfore feare ye the Lorde, and serue hym in the trueth, & with all youre hertes, and consydre, howe great thynges he hath done for you. But and yf ye do wycked∣lye, then shall ye peryshe, bothe ye and youre kynge.

¶ The Philistines are s••••ytten of Saull and Ionathas. Saull beynge dysn bedyent to goddes: ōmoundement, is shewed of Samuell that he shall not reygne.

CAPI. XIII.

SAull had ben kynge one yere (when these [unspec A] thynges came to passe) and he reygned two yeres ouer Israell. And Saull chose hym thre thousande men of Israell. Two thousande were with Saull in Michmas, & in Mounte Betheil, and a thousande with Ionathas in Gibea Ben Iamin. And the rest of the people he sent, euery man to his owne house agayne. And Ionathas smote the hold of the Philistines, that was in the hyll, and it came to the Philistines eares. And Saull blewe the trompet thorowout all the lande / sayenge: Let the Hebrues heare. And all Is∣raell herde saye / howe that Saull had de∣stroyed an holde of the Philistines, wherfore ☞ Israell stancke before the Philistines. And the people gathered togyther after Saul to Gilgall.

The Philistines also gathered them sel∣ues [unspec B] togyther to fyght with Israell, thyrtye thousand charettes and syxe thousand horse men, with other people lyke the sande by the sees syde in multitude, and came vp and pyt¦ched in Michmas Eastwarde from Betha∣uen. And when the men of Israell sawe it / they were in a strayte, and fere came vpon the people, and they hyd them selues in caues, & in preuye hooles, and in rockes, and in hye places, and in pyttes. And some of the He∣brues went ouer Iordan to go vnto the land of Gad and Gilcad. And Saull was yet in Gilgall, and all the people that folowed hym were astonyed. And he taryed seuen dayes / euen vnto the tyme that Samuell had ap∣poynted. But Samuell came not to Gilgal, and the people were therfore scattered from hym. And Saull sayde: brynge a burntsa∣crifyce to me and peace offeryng{is}. And he of∣fered burntsacrifice. And as soone as he had made an ende of offeryng the burntsacrifice, beholde, Samuell came. And Saull went agaynst hym, to ☞ blesse hym. And Samuel sayde: what hast thou done? Saull sayde: by∣cause I saw that the peple scattered from me, and that thou cammest not within the dayes appoynted, and that the Philistines gathe∣red them selues togyther to Michmas: ther∣fore sayd I: the Philistines shal come downe nowe vpon me to Gilgall, and I haue not made supplicacyon vnto the Lorde.

And ☞ when I had ouercome my selfe, at the last I offered a burntofferynge. And [unspec C] Samuell sayde to Saull, thou arte become a foole, thou hast not kept the cōmaūdement of the Lorde thy God, whiche he cōmaunded the. For at this tyme wolde the Lorde haue stablysshed thy kyngdome vpon Israell for euer. But nowe, thy kyngdome shal not con∣tynewe, The Lorde hath ☞ sought hym a man after his owne herte, and the lorde hath cōmaūded hym to be captayne ouer his peo∣ple, bycause thou hast not kepte that, whiche the lorde cōmaūded the. And Samuell arose & gat hym vp frō Gilgal to Gibea Beniamin. ❀ (And the remenaunte of the folke vvente vp after Saull, to mere the people, vvhich fought a∣gaynst them, as they vvere cōmynge from Gil∣gall to Gibea, in the hyll of Ben lamin.) And Saull nombred the people that were founde with hym, & they were aboute a. vi. C. men.

And Saul and Ionathas his son and the [unspec D] people that were founde with hym, had theyr abydyng in the hyll of Ben Iamin. But the Philistines pytched in Michmas. And there came out of the hoost of the Philistines thre companyes, to destroy, one company turned vnto the way that leadeth to Ophra vnto the lande of Sual. And an other company tur∣ned the way to Bethorō. And the thyrde com∣pany turned to the waye of the coost that is sene aboue the valey of Zeboim towarde the wyldernesse. There was no smyth foūde tho∣rowout all the lande of Israell. For the Phi∣listines sayde: Lest haply the Hebrues make them swerdes or speres. But all the Israeli∣tes went downe to the Philistines, to mende euery man his share, his mattocke, his axe, & his necessary toles: And then the edges of the shares, mattockes, dong forkes, & axes were blunt, and also the forkes were to be set in. And so in tyme of battayle there was neyther swerde nor spere founde in the handes of any of the people that were with Saull & Iona∣thas. But w^t Saul & Ionathas his son was there somwhat foūde. And the watche of the Philistin{is} came out, to go ouer to Michmas.

¶ Ionathas and his harnes bearer putteth the Phi∣listines to fl••ght. He tasteth the Honye.

CAPI. XIIII.

ANd it fortuned the same tyme, that Io∣nathas [unspec A] the son of Saul sayde vnto his yong man that bare his harnes: come, and let vs go ouer to the Philistines watche that are yonder on the other syde, & he tolde not his father. And Saul taryed in the vtter¦most parte of Gibea vnder Rimmon, whiche is in Migron, & the people that were w^t hym were vpon a. vi. C. men. And Ahia the son of Ahitob Iehabods brother, the sonne of Phi∣nches, the son of Eli, was the Lordes preest in Silo, and ware an Ephod. And the people wist not that Ionathas was gone. And in the myddes of the passage (by whiche Ionathas sought to go ouer vnto the Philistin{is} watch) were there two sharpe cockes, euē one on the one syde, & the other on the other syde: the one called Bozez, and the other Senne. The fore front of the one, leaned northward / towarde [unspec B] Michmas, and the other was southwarde, towarde Gibea. And Ionathas sayde to the yong man that bare his harnes: come and let vs go ouer vnto the watche of these vncir∣cumcised, peraduenture the lorde wyll worke with vs: for it is no hardnesse with the Lorde to saue eyther in many or in fewe. And his harnes berer sayde vnto hym: Do all that is in thyne herte. Go where it pleaseth the: Be∣holde, I am with the, as thyne herte lusteth. Then sayd Ionathas: Beholde, we go ouer vnto these men, & shal shewe our selues vnto them: yf they say on this wyse to vs: tary, vn∣tyll we come to you, then we wyll stande styll in our place, & not go vp vnto them. But and yf they say: come vp vnto vs, then we wyl go vp, for the lorde hath delyuered them in to our hand{is}. And this shalbe a sygne vnto vs. And they bothe shewed them selues vnto the watch of the Philistin{is}. And the Philistines sayd: Se, the Hebrues come out of the holes where they had hyd them selues in. And the men of the watche answered Ionathas and his harnes bearer, and sayde: come vp to vs, and we wyll shewe you a thynge. And Iona∣thas sayd vnto his harnes bearer: Come vp after me, for the Lorde hath delyuered them in to the hande of Israell. And Ionathas clambe vp vpon handes & fete, & his harnes berer after hym. And ❀ (so vvhen they had sene ••onathas face) they fell before Ionathas: & his harnes berer slue them after hym. And that fyrst slaughter whiche Ionathas & his harnes berer made, was vpon a. rr. men, w^t us the compasse as it were aboute an halfe aker of lande. And there was a feare in the hoost, [unspec E] in the felde, & among all people: in so moche that they that were gone out of the watch to rob, were afrayde also: & the earth trymbled, for the feare that was sent of God. And the watchmē of Saul in Gibea Beniamin, saw. And beholde, the people (of the Philistines) were scattered & were smytten as they wente. Then sayde Saul vnto the people that was with hym: Searche & se, who is gone awaye frō vs. And when they had nombred: beholde Ionathas & his harnes berer were not there. And Saul sayd vnto Ahia: bryng hyther the arke of god. For the arke of god was at that tyme with the chyldren of Israel. And it for∣tuned that whyle Saul talked vnto the preest, the noyse that was in the hoost of the Phili∣stines syred farther abrode, & increased ❀ (by lytle and lytle, and gaue a more cleare founde) And Saul sayde vnto the preest: withdrawe thyne handes. And Saull ioyned hym selfe vnto all the people that were with hym, and they came to the battayle. And behold euery mannes swerde was agaynst his felowe, and there was a very great tumour. Moreouer, the Hebrues that were with the Philistines before that tyme, and were come with them in to al partes of the hoost, turned, to be with the Israelites that were with Saul & Iona∣thas. And al the mē of Israel also, which had hyd them selues in moūt Ephraim, as soone

as they herde howe that the Philistines were [unspec D] fled, they folowed after them in the battayle. And so god helped Israel that daye. And the battayl cōtinued vnto Bethauen. And whyle the men of Israell were kepte downe with hunger that daye, Saull charged the people with an othe, saynge. Cursed be the man that eateth any food vntyll nyght, tyll I be auen∣ged of myne enemyes. And so, noone of the people tasted any sustcnaunce. And al the in∣habitours of the land came to a wood where houy lay vpon the grounde. And the people came in to the wood: And beholde, the honye dropped, and no man moued his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the othe. But Ionathas herde not when his father char∣ged the people with the othe, wherfore he put forth the ende of the rod that wasin his hand & dypte it in an hony combe, & put his hande to his mouth, and ☞ his eyes receyued sight. Then answered one of the people and sayde: thy father adiuted the peple, saynge: Cursed be the man that eateth any sustenaunce this day, and the people were fayntye. Then sayde Ionathas: my father hath troubled the land se howe myne eyes haue receyued syght, by∣cause I tasted a lytell of this honye: Howe moche more then to daye: yf the people had eaten of the spoyle of theyr enemyes, whiche they founde. And had there not bene then a moche greater slaughter among the Philisti¦nes? And they layde on the Philistines that day, from Michmas to Aiolon. And the peo∣ple were excedyng fayntye.

And the people gat them to the spoyle, and [unspec E] toke shepe, oxen, and calues, and slue them on the grounde, and the people dyd eate them with the bloode. Then men tolde Saull, sayenge: Beholde, the people synne agaynste the Lorde, in that they eate with the blood.

And he sayde: ye haue trespassed. Rowle a greate stone vnto me this day, & Saul sayde agayne: Go abrode amonge the people, and byd them brynge me euery man his oxe, and euery man his shepe, and fley them here, and synne not agaynst the Lorde in eatynge with the blood. And the people brought euery mā his oxe in his hande, by nyght, and flue them there. And Saull made an aulter vnto the Lorde. And that was the fyrst aulter that he made vnto the Lorde. And Saul sayd: let vs go downe after the Philistines by night and spoyle them, vntyll it be day in the mornyng, & let vs not leaue one man of them. And they sayde: do what soeuer thou thynkest best. Then sayd the preest: let vs come hyther vn∣to God. And Saul asked of God: shall I go downe after the Philistines?wylte thou de∣lyuer them in to the handes of Israell? But be answered hym not at that tyme. And Saul sayde: Let the people come hyther out of all quarters, and knowe and se by whome this synne is chaunced this daye: for as truely as the lorde lyueth which saueth Israel, though it be in Ionathas my sonne, he shall dye the death. But there was no man among all the people that answered hym.

Then he sayde vnto all Israell: be ye on [unspec F] one syde, and I and Ionathas my sonne wyl be on the other syde. And the people sayd vn∣to Saul: what thou thynkest best, that do. Therfore Saul sayd vnto the Lorde God of Israel: Gyue a perfyte lot ❀ (Lorde god, gyue thou the indgement. Hovve happeneth it, that thou gyuest thy seruaunt no ansvvere to daye? Yf this syn be in me, or in Ionathas my sonne, shevv it, or yf this iniquyte be in thy people.) And Saul and Ionathas were caught, but the people scaped free. And Saul sayde: cast lottes bytwene me and Ionathas my sonne. And Ionathas was caught. Thē Saul sayd to Ionathas: tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathas tolde hym, and sayd: I tasted a lytell honye with the ende of the rod that was in myne hande: and lo, I must dye.

Saul answered: God do so and so with me, thou shalte dye the death Ionathas. And the people sayd vnto Saul: shall Ionathas dye, whiche hath so myghtely helped Israel? God forbyd. As truely as the Lorde lyueth there shall not one heere of his heade fall to the grounde: For he hath wrought with God this daye. And so the people delyuered Ionathas, that he dyed not. And then Saul departed vp from folowynge the Philisti∣nes. [unspec G] And the Philistines went to theyr owne place. And so Saul helde the kyngdom ouer Israell, and faught agaynst all his enemyes on euery syde: agaynst Moab: agaynst the chyldren of Ammon: agaynst Edom: agaynst the kynges of Zoba, and agaynst the Phili∣stines. And whyther soeuer he turned hym selfe, there he wan: and he gathered his hoost togyther, and sinote the Amaleckites, and tyd Israell out of the handes of them that spoyled them. The sonnes of Saul were: Ionathas, Iosui, and Melchisua. And his two doughters were thus named: the elder was called Merob, and the yonger Michol. And the name of Saules wyr̄e, was Ahinoa the doughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of his cheyfe captayne was Abner the sonne of Ner, Saules vncle.

And Cis was Saules father. And Ner

the father of Abner was the sonne of Abiell. And there was sore wacre agaynst the Phili¦stines, al the dayes of Saul. And who soeuer Saul sawe to be a strong man, and mete for the warre, he toke hym vnto hym.

¶ Saul is rōmaunded to kyll Aninlecke. He is disobedient to the voyce of God Samuel moutneth for Saul.

CAPI. XV.

Samuel sayd vnto Saul: the lorde sent [unspec A] me to anoynt the, to be kyng ouer his pe∣ple Israel. Nowe therfore herken y^• vnto the voyce of the wordes of the Lorde. Thus sayeth the lorde of hoostes: I remembre that, which Amalec dyd so Israel how they layd wayte for them in the way, as they came out of Egypte. Now therfore go, & smyte Amalec and destroy ye al that perteyneth vnto them, and se thou haue no compassyon on them, ❀ (and couet nothynge that they haue) slee both man and woman, infant, & suklyng, o••e and shepe, camel, and asse. And Saul gathered the people togyther, and nombred them in Telaim, two hundred thousande foote men, and ten thousande men of Iuda. And Saul came vnto a citye of Amalec, & set watche in [unspec B] the valley. And Saul sayde to the Kenites: go, & departe, & get you downe from among the Amaleckites, leest I destroy you w^t them: for ye shewed mercy to all the chyldren of Is∣rael, when they came out of Egypte. And so the Kenites departed from among the Ama∣leckites. And Saul smote the Amaleckites from Heuila, as y^u comest to Sur, that lyeth be¦fore Egypte, and toke Agag the kyng of the Amaleckites alyuc, & vtterly destroyed al the people w^t the edge of the swerde. But saul & the people spared Agag, & the better shepe, & the fatter oxen, & the lambes, & all that was good, & wolde not destroy them. But all that was foule and nought worth, that they de∣stroyed vtterly. Then came the worde of the lorde vnto Samuel, sayenge.

It repenteth me, that I haue made Saul kynge. For he is turned from me, & hath not [unspec C] perfourmed my cōmaundementes. And Sa¦muel was enyl apayde, & cryed vnto the lord all nyght. And when Samuel arose early, to mete Saul in the mornyng, it was tolde Sa¦muel that Saul was come to Carmell, & be∣holde, he ☞ hath made hym there a place, & is returned, and departed, & gone downe to Gylgal. And Samuel sayd to Saul, & ❀ (Saul offered burntsacrifyce vnto the lorde of the fyrst of the spoyles vvhich he had brought frō Ama∣lec. And vvhen Samuel vvas come vnto Saul) Saul sayd vnto hym: Blessed be thou in the Lorde I haue fulfylled the cōmaundament of the lorde. Samuel sayd: what meaneth thē the bleatyng of the shepe in myne eares, and the noyse of the oxen which I heare? Saul an [unspec D] swered: they haue brought them from the A∣maleckites. For the people spared the best of the shepe & of the oxen, to sacrifice them vnto the lorde thy God. And the remenaunt haue we destroyed vtterly. Samuel sayd to Saul: let me tell the what the lord hath sayd to me this nyght. And he sayd vnto him: say on. Samuel sayd when y^u wast lytel in thyne owne sight wast y^u not made the head of the tribes of Is∣rael? And the lorde anoynted the kynge ouer Israel. And the lorde sent the on a iourney & sayd: Go, & vtterly destroy those synners the Amaleckites, & fyght agaynst them, vntyll y^u vtterly destroy thē. And wherfore hast y^u not [unspec E] herkened vnto the voyce of the lorde, but hast turned to the pray, & hast done that which is wycked in the syght of the lorde? And Saul sayd vnto Samuel: yea I haue herkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde, & haue gone the way which the lorde sent me vnto, & haue brought Agag the kyng of Amalec, & haue vtterly de¦stroyed the Amaleckites. But the peple toke the spoyle shepe, oxē, & the cheyfest of the thin ges which shuld haue bene destroyed, to offre vnto the lorde thy God in Gylgal. And Sa∣muel sayd: hath the lord as great pleasure in burntsacrifices & offryng{is}, as whē the voyce of the lord is obeyed? Beholde, to obey is bet∣ter then sacrifice, & to herken is better thē the fat of rāmes. For rebellyon is as the synne of wytcherafte, & stoburnes is as the wicked∣nes of Idolatrie. Bycause y^u hast cast awaye the worde of the lorde, therfore hath the lorde cast away the also, frō beyng kyng. And Saul [unspec F] sayd to Samuel: I haue synned, for I haue gone further thē the sayeng of the lorde & thy word{is}, bycause I feared the people, & obeyed theyr voyce. Now therfore take away my syn & turne agayne with me, that I may worship the lorde. And Samuel sayde vnto Saul: I wyl not returne with the: for y^u hast cast away the worde of the lorde, & the lorde hath cast a∣way the, that y^u shalt not be kyng ouer Israel And as Samuel turned hym selfe to go away he caught the lap of his coote, & it rent. And Samuel sayd vnto hym: the lorde hath rent the kyngdom of Israel from the this daye, & hath gyuen it to a neyghboure of thyne, that is better thē thou. ☞ The strength of Israel wyl not begyle nor repent: for he is not a mā that can repent. He sayd: I haue synned. But nowe honour me before the elders of my peo¦ple: & before Israel, and turne agayne with me, that I maye worshyp the Lorde thy god.

And so Samuel turned agayne and folowed Saull. And Saull worshypped the Lorde. [unspec G]

Then sayd Samuel: Brynge ye hyther to me. Agag the kyng of the Amaleckites. And Agag came vnto hym ☞ delicately. And A∣gag sayd: truely the bytter death cometh on.

And Samuel sayde: As thy swerde hathe made women chyldelesse, so shall thy mother be chyldelesse aboue other women. And Sa∣muel hewed Agag in peces, before the Lorde in Gilgal. And then Samuell departed to Rama. And Saul wente home to his house to Gibea Saul. And Samuel came no more to se Saul vntyll the day of his death. Ne∣uerthelesse Samuel mourned for Saul, and the lorde ☞ repented, that he had made Saul kynge ouer Israel.

Dauid is anoynted kyng. An ••uyl spirite cometh vpon Saul.

CAPI XVI.

THe Lorde sayde vnto Samuel: Howe [unspec A] longe wylte thou mourne for Saul, se∣ynge I haue cast hym away, from reygnyng ouer Israel? Fyl thyne horne with oyntment and come that I maye sende the to Isai the Bethleemite, for I haue prouyded me a king among his sonnes. And Samuel sayd: how can I go? For yf Saul heare it, he wyll kyll me. The Lorde answered: Take an Heyfer with the, and saye: I am come to offre to the Lorde. And call Isai to the offeryng, & I wyl shewe the, what y^u shalte do. And thou shalte anoynt hym whom I name vnto the. And so Samuel dyd as the Lord•• bad hym, & came to Bethleem, & the elders of the towne were astonyed at his comynge, and sayde.

Comest thou peaceably? He answered: Yea, I am come to offre vnto the Lorde. [unspec B]

☞ Sanctifie your selues, and come with me to the offerynge. And he sanctified Isai & his sonnes, & bad them to the offerynge. And when they were come, he loked on Eliab, and sayd: ☞ Surely the Lordes anoynted is be∣fore hym. But the lorde sayd vnto Samuel: loke not on his facion, or on the heyght of his stature, bycause I haue refused him: for God seyth not as man seyth. For mā loketh on the outwarde apperaūce, but god beholdeth the herte. Then Isai called Abinadab, & made hym come before Samuel. And he sayd: ney∣ther hath the Lorde chosen this. Then Isai made Sāma come, and he sayde, neyther yet hath the Lorde chosen hym. Agayne, Isai made seuen of▪ his sonnes to come before Sa¦muel. And Samuel sayd vnto Isai, the lord hath chosen none of these.

And Samuel sayd vnto Isai: are here al [unspec C] thy chyldren? He sayd: there is yet a lytel one behinde, that kepeth the shepe. And Samuel sayd vnto Isai: sende and fet him, for we wyl not syt downe, tyl he be come hyther. And he sent, & brought hym in. And he was browne, & of an excellent beautye, & and well fauou∣red in syght. And the Lorde sayde: Aryse, and anoynte hym: for this is he. Therfore Sa∣muel toke the horne with the oyntment, and anoynted him in the myddes of his brethren. And the spirite of the Lorde came vpon Da∣uid, from that day forwarde. And Samuel arose vp, and wente to Rama. But the spirite of the Lorde departed frome Saul, and an euyll spirite sent of the Lorde vexed hym.

And Sauls seruauntes sayde vnto hym: beholde▪ an euyl spirite sent of god vexeth the let our lorde therfore cōmaunde his seruaun¦tes (that are before the) to seke a man that is a cōnyng player with an harpe: that whē the euyll spirite sent of god cometh vpon the, he [unspec D] may play w^t his hande & thou shalte be eased Saul sayd vnto his seruauntes: prouyde me a man then that can playe well, & bryng hym to me. Then answered one of his seruauntes & sayd: Beholde, I haue sene the son of Isai the Bethleemite, that can playe vpon instru∣mentes, and is an actiue felowe, and a mā of war, and prudent in doynge of feates, & well made, and the Lorde is with hym.

Wherfore Saul sente messengers vnto Isai, & sayd: sende me Dauid thy son, whiche is with the shepe. And Isai toke an asse laden with breade, & a flacket of wyne, & a kyd, and sent them by Dauid his son vnto Saul. And Dauid came to Saul, & stode before hym, & he loued hym very wel, and he was made his harnes bearer. And Saul sent to Isai, say∣eng: let Dauid remayne with me, for he hath founde fououre in my syght. And so it fortu∣ned, that when the euyll spirite sente of God came vpon Saul. Dauid toke an harpe, and played with his hande, and so Saul was re∣fresshed, and dyd amende, and the euyll spi∣rite departed from hym.

¶ Dauid ouercometh great Gol••ath.

CAPI. XVII.

THe Philistines gathered theyr hoost to [unspec A] battayle, and came togyther to Socoh whiche is in Iuda, & pytched bytwene Socoh & Azekah, in the coost of Dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel came togy∣ther, & pytched in the oke valley, & put them selues in aray, to fyght agaynst the Philisti∣nes. And the Philistines stode on an hyll on the one syde, & Israel stode on an hyll on the other syde, & there was a valey bitwene them And there came a man bytwene them both,

out of the tent{is} of the Philistines, named Go¦liath of Gath. vi. cubites & an handbredth longe, and had an helmet of brasse vpon his heade, and a coote of mayle aboute him. And the weyght of his coote of mayle was fyue thousand spcles of brasse. And he had bootes of brasse vpon his legges, & a shelde of brasse vpon his shoulders. And the shafte of his speare was lyke a weuers beame. And his speare head wayed. vi. hūdred s••cles of pron. And one bearyng a shelde went before hym.

And he stode and cryed agaynst the hoost [unspec B] of Israel, and sayde vnto them: Why are ye come out in aray to battayle? am not I a Phi¦listine, and you seruauntes to Saul? chose ye a man from amonge you, and let hym come downe to me. And yf he be able to fyght with me, and to beate me, then wyll we be your ser¦uauntes. But yf I can ouercome hym and beate hym, then shall ye be oure seruauntes and serue vs. And the Philistine sayde: I de∣fye the hoost of Israell this daye, gyue me a man, that we may fyght togyther.

When Saul and all Israel herde those wordes of the Philistine, they were discoura∣ged, & greatly afrayde. Dauid was the son of an Ephrathite ❀ (of vvhom mencyon is made before) of Bethleem Iuda, named Isai whiche had eyght sonnes. And was an olde man in the dayes of Saul, and came to age amonge mē. And the. iii. eldest sonnes of Isai went, and folowed Saul to the battayle. And the names of his thre sonnes that went to battayle, were: Eliab the eldest, & the nexte Abinadab, and the thyrde Sāma, & Dauid was the least. And the thre eldest went after Saul. Dauid also went and departed from Saul, to fede his fathers shepe at Bethleem And the Philistine came forthe in the mor∣nyng & euenyng, & ☞ continued. xl. dayes,

And Isai sayde vnto Dauid his sonne: take for thy brethrē an Epha of this parched corne, & these ten loues, and bryng it vnto the hoost to thy brethren. And cary these. x. freshe cheses vnto the captayne, and loke howe thy brethrēn fare, & ☞ fet out theyr pledge. And Saul and they, & all the men of Israell were in the oke valey, fightyng w^t the Philistines. [unspec C] And Dauid rose vp early in the mornyng, & lefte the shepe with a keper, & toke and wente as Isai had cōmaunded hym, & came within the compasse of the hoost. And the hoost went out in aray, and showted in the battayle: for Israel & the Philistines had put them selues in aray, the one agaynst the other. And Da∣uid toke downe the gere frō hym, & put them vnder the handes of the keper of the vessels, & ran into the hoost, & came, & saluted his bre∣thrē. And as he talked w^t them, beholde, there stode a man in the myddes (Goliath the Phi¦listine by name) of Gath, out of the araye of the Philistines & spake of the maner aboue rehersed, that Dauid herde it. And all the mē of Israel, when they sawe the man, ran away from hym, and were sore afrayde. And euery man of Israel sayd: Sawe ye this man come forth? euen to reuyle Israell is he come.

And to hym that beateth hym, wyll the kyng gyue great ryches, and wyll gyue hym his doughter therto: yea & make his fathers house free in Israel. And Dauid spake to the men that stode by, and sayde. What shall be done to the man that beateth this Philistine, and taketh away the shame frō Israell? And what is this vncircūcysed Philistine, that he shuld reuyle the host of the lyuyng god? And the people answered hym (after this maner,) saynge: so shal it be done to the man, that bea¦teth hym. And Eliab his eldest brother herde when he spake vnto the men, and Eliab was angry with Dauid, and sayde.

Why camest thou downe hyther? & with [unspec D] whom hast thou lefte those fewe shepe in the wyldernesse? I know thy pryde, and the ma∣lice of thyne herte, that thou art come downe to se the battayle. And Dauid sayde. And what haue I now done? is there not a worde? And he departed from hym in to the presence of an other, and snake of the same maner, & the people answered hym agayne, as before. And they that herde the wordes whiche Da∣uid spake, rehersed them before Saul, which caused hym to be fet. And Dauid sayde to Saul. Let no mannes herte fayle hym by∣cause of hym. Thy seruaunt wyll go, & fyght with yonder Philistine. And Saul say de to Dauid agayne: y^u art not able to go agaynst yonder Philistyne, to fyght with hym. For thou arte but a chylde, but he is a mā of war euen from his youth. Dauid answered vnto Saul. Thy seruaunt kept his fathers shepe and there came a Lyon & lykewyse a beare & toke a shepe out of the flocke. And I wente out after hym, & smote hym, & toke it out of his mouth. And when he arose agaynst me, I [unspec E] caught hym by the bearde, and smote hym, & slue hym. And so thy seruant slue the Lyon & the beare (also) hath thy seruaunt sleyn. And truely this vncircumcised Philistine shall▪be as one of them. ❀ (Novv vvyll I go and take avvay the rebuke of the people, for vvhat is this vncircūcised Philistine?) seyng he hath rayled on the hoost of the lyuyng god. And Dauid spake moreouer: the lorde that delyuered me

out of the hande of the Lyon, and out of the hande of the beare, he shall deluyer me also out of the hande of the Philistine.

And Saul sayd vnto Dauid: go, and the Lorde shall be with the. And Saul put his rayment vpon Dauid, and put an helmet of brasse vpon his heade, & put a coote of mayle vpon hym, and gyrded Dauid with his owne swerde vpon his rayment. And he assayed to go. And bycause he neuer proued it, Dauid sayde vnto Saul: I can not go with these, for I haue not vsed my selfe therto: & Dauid put them of him, & roke his staffe in his hand & chose hym fyue smoth stones out of a broke & put them in a shepeheerdes bag whiche he had, & in a siyng poke: and his slyng was in his hande, and he went to the Philistine. And the Philistine came and drue nere agaynste Dauid, & the man that bare the shelde wente before hym. And when the Philistine loked aboute and sawe Dauid, he dysdayned hym, for he was but younge, and well coloured, and goodly to loke vpon.

And the Philistine sayd vnto Dauid: am [unspec F] I a dog, that thou romest to me with a staffe? and the Philistine cursed Dauid in the name of his good{is}. And the Philistine sayd to Da∣uid: come to me, and I wyll gyue thy flesshe vnto the foules of the ayre, & to the beastes of the felde. Thē sayd Dauid to the Philistine: thou comest to me with a swerde, a speare & a shelde: But I come to the in the name of the Lorde of hoostes, the God of the hoost of Is∣raell, whome thou haste rayled vpon. This day shal the lorde delyuer the in to my hande and I shall smyte the, and take thyne heade from the, & I wyll gyue the carkasses of the hoost of the Philistines this daye vnto the foules of the ayre, & to the beast{is} of the earth, that all they whiche be in the worlde, maye knowe, that there is a god in Israel. And all this congregation shal knowe, that the lorde saueth not with swerde & speare. For the bat∣tayle is the Lordes, & he shall gyue you in to out handes. And when the Philistine arose to come & drawe nygh vnto Dauid, Dauid hasted, & ran in to the battayle euen agaynst the Philistine. And Dauid put his hande in his bag, and loke out a stone and slange it, & smote the Philystyne in his forhead, that the stone sonke in to his foreheade, and he fell grouelynge to the earth. And so Dauid ouer∣came the Philystyne with a s••ynge, & a stone / [unspec G] & smote the Philistyne, & slue hym, euen whē Dauid had no swerde in his hande. But Da∣uid ran, & stode vpon the Philistine, and toke his swerde, and drew it out of his shethe, and slue hym, and cut of his heade therwith. And when the Philistines sawe / that theyr cham∣pyon was deade, they fled.

And the men of Israell and of Iuda arose and shouted, & folowed after the Philistines, vntyl they came to the valey & vnto the gates of Akaron. And the Philistines fell downe wounded by the way to Saaraum, euen vn∣to Gath, & Akaron. And the Chyldren of Is∣raell returned from chasynge after the Phi∣listines and spoyled theyr tentes. And Dauid toke the heade of the Philistine, & brought it to Ierusalem: but he put his armoure in his tente. When Saull sawe Dauid go forth a∣gaynst the Philistine, he sayd vnto Abner the captayne of the hoost: Abner, whose son is this yong man? Abnen answered: as truly as thy soule lyueth (O kyng) I can not tell. And the kyng sayd: Enquyre thou, whose son the yonglyng is. And when Dauid was re∣turned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner toke hym, & brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistiane in his hande And Saul sayd to hym: whose son art thou, thou yong man? Dauid answered: I am the son of thy seruaunt Isai the Bethleemite.

¶ The bonde bytwene Dauid and Ionatha••. Saull gothe aboute to ••••ee Dauid.

CAPI. XVIII.

ANd when he had made an ende of spra-kynge [unspec A] vnto Saul, the soule of Iona∣thas was knyt with the soule of Dauid and Ionathas loued hym as his owne soule. And Saul ••oke hym that day, and wolde let hym go no more home to his fathers house. And Ionathas made a couenaunt with Da∣uid, bycause he loued hym as his owne soule.

And Ionathas put of his owne co••te that was vpon hym, and gaue it Dauid, & therto his cloke, his swerde, his bowe & his gyrdle. And Dauid went out whyther soeue•• Saul sent hym, & behaued hym selfe wyselye. And Saul set hym ouer his men of war, & he was accepted in the syght of al the people, & in the syght of Sauls seruaūtes. And it happened as they went, when Dauid was returned frō the slaughter of the Philistine, that women came out of all cityes of Israel syngyng and [unspec B] daunsyng, agaynst kyng Saul, & with tym∣brels, w^t ••oy, & with instrumentes of musyke.

And the women answered one an other in theyr play, & sayde. Saul hath slayne his thousand, and Dauid his. x. M. And Saul was excedyng wroth, & the saynge dyspleased hym. & he sayd: they haue ascribed vnto Da∣iud ten thousande, & to me but a thousande, & what can he more haue, saue the kyngdome?

Wherfore Saul loked asyde on Dauid from that daye forwarde. And it happened on the morowe, that the euyll spirite sente of God came vpon Saul, and ☞ he prophesyed in the myddes of the house.

And Dauid played with his hande lyke [unspec C] as at other tymes, and there was a Iauelyn in Sauis hande. And Saul ••oke the Iaue∣lyn, and sayd: I wyl nayle Dauid to the wall with it. And Dauid auoyded out of his pre∣sence two tymes. And Saul was afrayde of Dauid, bycause the Lorde was with hym, & was departed from Saul. Therfore Saul put hym from hym, and made him a captayn ouer a thousande, and ☞ he went out and in before the people. And Dauid behaued hym selfe wysely in all his wayes, and the Lorde was with hym. Wherfore when Saul sawe that he was so excedyng wyse, he was afrayd of hym. But all Israel and Iuda loued Da∣uid, bycause he went out and in before them.

And Saul sayde to Dauid. Beholde, my [unspec D] eldest doughter Merob, her I wyl gyue the to wyfe: Onely play the man with me, & fyghte the Lordes battayles. For Saul thought: myne hande shall not be vpon hym, but the hande of the Philistines. And Dauid answe∣red Saule: what am I? and what is my lyfe of the kynred of my father in Israel, that I shulde be son in lawe to the kynge? Howbeit whē the tyme was come that Moreb Sauls doughter shulde haue bene gyuen to Dauid she was gyuen vnto Adriel a Meholothite, to wyfe. How beit, Michol Sauls doughter loued Dauid. And they shewed Saul: and the thyng dyspleased hym not.

And Saul sayd: I wyll gyue hym her that [unspec E] she may be a snare to hym, and that the hand of the Philistynes maye be agaynst hym. Wherfore Saul sayd to Dauid: thou shalte this day be my son in law in the other dough¦ter. And Saul cōmaunded his seruauntes to comen with▪ Dauid secretly and say. Beholde the kyng hath a fauoure to the, and all his seruauntes loue the, be now therfore the kyn¦ges sonne in lawe. And Sauls seruauntes spake those wordes in the eares of Dauid.

And Dauid sayde: semeth it to you a lyght thyng to be a kynges sonne in lawe: I am a poore man and of small reputacion. And the seruauntes brought Saule worde agayne, sayenge: of this maner spake Dauid.

And Saul sayd: this wyse shall ye say to Dauid: the king careth for none other dowry [unspec F] but for an hundred foreskynnnes of the Phi∣listines, to be auenged of the king{is} enemyes. But Saul thought to make Dauid fal into the handes of the Philistines. And when his seruauntes tolde Dauid these word{is}, it plea∣sed Dauid wel to be the kynges son in lawe.

And ☞ or the dayes were expyred, Dauid arose with his men and went, and slue of the [unspec G] Philistines. CC. men, and Dauid broughte theyr foreskynnes, & satisfied the kyng therof to be his sonne in lawe. Wherfore Saul gaue hym Michol his doughter to wyfe. And Saul sawe and vnderstode, howe that the Lorde was with Dauid, & that Michol his doughter loued hym, & he was the more afrayde of Dauid, and Saul became alway Dauids enemy. The lordes of the Philisti∣nes vsed ☞ to go forth. And it fortuned that when they went forth, Dauid behaued hym selfe wyselyer thē al the seruauntes of Saul: so that his name was moche set by.

¶ Saul cōmaundeth to flee Dauid. Micholl his wyfe saueth hym.

CAPI. XIX.

SAul spake to Ionathas his sonne, and to [unspec A] all his seruauntes, that they shulde kyll Dauid. But Ionathas Sauls sonne had a great fauour to Dauid, and Ionathas tolde Dauid, saynge: Saul my father gothe aboute to fley the. Now therfore take hede to thy selfe vntyll the mornyng & abyde in some secret place, and hyde thy selfe. And I wyl go out, & stande by my father in the felde, where thou art, & wyll comen with my father of the, and what soeuer I se, I wyll tell the. And Io¦nathas spake good of Dauid vnto Saul his father, & sayde vnto hym: let not the kynge syn agaynst his seruaunt Dauid, for he hath not synned agaynst the, and his workes haue ben toward the very good. For he dyd ☞ put his lyfe in his hande, & slue the Philistine, and the Lorde brought to passe a great helth for al Israel. Thou sawest it, & thou reioysed, wherfore then wylte thou syn agaynst inno∣cent bloode, & sley Daiud without a cause? And Saul herkened vnto the voyce of Iona¦thas, [unspec B] and sware: as truely as the lorde lyueth he shal not dye. And Ionathas called Dauid and shewed hym all those wordes, & brought Dauid to Saul. And he was in his presence as in tymes past. And the war began agayn, and Dauid wente out and foughte with the Philistines, & slue them with a great slaugh∣ter, and they fled from hym. And the euyll spirite sent of the Lorde was vpon Saul, as he sat in his house hauynge a Iauelyn in his hande, and Dauid played with his hande. And Saul entended to nayle Dauid to the wall with the Iauelyn. But he ryd hym selfe out of Sauls presence

as he smote the speare ❀ (vvith a vayne stroke) in to the wall. And Dauid fled, and was sa∣ued that same nyght. Saul also sent messen∣gers vnto Dauyds house, to watche hym, and to sley hym in the mornyng. And Michol Dauyds wyfe tolde it hym, saynge: If thou saue not thy selfe this nyght, to morow thou wylte be sleyne. And so Micholl let Dauid downe thorowe a wyndowe, and he went, and fled, and was saued.

And then she toke an ymage and layde it [unspec C] in the bed, & put a pyllowe stuffed with goot{is} heere vnder the heade of it, & couered it with a cloth. And when Saul sent messengers to fetch Dauid, she sayd, he is sycke. And Saul sent the messengers agayne to se Dauid, say∣enge: Brynge hym to me, bed and all, that I may sley hym. And whē the messengers were came in: Beholde, there lay an ymage in the bed, with a pyllow of gootes heere vnder the head of it. And Saul sayde to Micholl: why hast thou mocked me so, and sent away myne enmye that he is escaped? Michol answered Saul: For he sayde vnto me, let me go, or els I wyll kyll the. And so Dauid fled, and esca∣ped, and came to Samuel to Rama, & tolde hym all that Saul had done to hym. And he and Samuel went, and dwelte in ☞ Naioth.

And one tolde Saul, sayenge: Beholde, [unspec D] Dauid is at Naioth in Rama, & Saul sente messengers to fet Dauid. And whē they saw a company ☞ of Prophetes prophesyenge, and Samuel standyng fast by them, the spi∣rite of god fell vpon the messengers of Saul & they prophesyed to. And when it was tolde Saul, he sent other messengers, and they pro¦phesyed likewyse. And Saul sent messengers yet agayne the thyrde tyme, and they prophe∣syed also. Then went he hym selfe to Rama, and came to a great well that is in Sechu, & he asked and sayde: where are Samuell and Dauid? And one sayde: Beholde, they be at Naioth in Rama, and he went thyther, euen to Naioth in Rama, and the spirite of God came vpon hym also, and he wente prophe∣syenge vntyll he came to Naioth in Rama. And he stripte of his clothes, and prophesyed before Samuel in lyke maner, and ☞ fell na¦ked all that day & al that nyght. And therof it is, that they saye: is Saul also amonge the prophetes?

¶ Dauid complayneth vnto Ionathas.

CAPI. XX.

ANd Dauid fledde from Naioth whiche [unspec A] is in Rama, and came, and sayde before Ionathas: what haue I done? wherin am I faultie? what is the synne that I haue cōmytted before thy father, that he seketh my lyfe? He sayde vnto hym: God forbyd, thou shalte not dye. Beholde, my father wyll do nothynge eyther great or small, but that he wyll shewe it me. And howe shulde my father hyde this thynge from me? He wyll not do it. And Dauid sware agayne, and sayde: thy fa∣ther knoweth that I haue founde ☞ grace in thyne eyes, and therfore he saythe: Iona∣thas shall not knowe it, lest he be sorye. And in very dede, euen as truely as the Lorde ly∣ueth, and as truely as thy soule lyueth, there is but a step bytwene me & death. Then sayd Ionathas vnto dauid: what soeuer thy soule desyreth that I wyll do vnto the. And Dauid sayd vnto Ionathas: Beholde, to morowe is the begynnyng ☞ of the moneth, & I shulde syt with the kynge at meate. But let me go, that I maye hyde my selfe in the feldes vnto the thyrde day at euen.

If thy father speake of me, then say: Da∣uid [unspec B] asked leaue of me, that he myght go to Bethleem to his owne citye, for there is hol∣den a yerely feast for all the kynred. And yf he say: it is well done, then thy seruaunt shall haue peace. But and yf he be angrye: then be sure that wyckednesse is vtterly concluded of hym. And then thou shalte shewe mercye vn∣to thy seruaunt, for thou hast made with me thy seruaunt a bonde in the Lorde. Notwith∣standynge, yf there be in me any trespasse, then slee me thy selfe, & brynge me not to thy father. And Ionathas answered: God kepe that from the ❀ (neyther is it possible to come to passe.) For yf I knowe, that wyckednesse were concluded of my father, to come vpon the, thynkest thou that I shulde not tel it the? Then sayde Dauid, who shall tell me, yf thy father answere cruelly? And Ionathas sayd vnto Dauid, come and let vs go out i•• to the felde. And they wente out bothe of them into the felde.

And Ionathas sayde vnto Dauid: The [unspec C] Lorde god of Israel loke on it, when I haue groped my fathers mynde, one tyme or other within this thre dayes, that it stand wel with Dauid: If I then sende not vnto the & shew it the, the Lorde do so and so vnto Ionathas.

But yf my father haue any pleasure to do the euyll, I wyl shewe the also, and sende the awaye that thou mayst go in peace. And the Lorde be with the, as he hath bene with my father. And thou shalt performe vnto me the mercy of the Lorde, not onely whyle I lyue / but euen when I am deade, and plucke not thy mercy awaye from ☞ my house for euer: No not when the Lorde hath destroyed the

enemyes of Dauid, euery one from the face of the earth. And so Ionathas made a bonde with the house of Dauid, desyrynge that the Lorde shulde seke it out by the hand{is} of Da∣uids enemyes (yf it were broken.) And with other word{is} dyd Ionathas sweate vnto Da∣uid, bycause he loued hym. For he loued him, as his owne soule. Then sayde Ionathas to [unspec D] Dauid: to morowe is the fyrste daye of the moone. And thou shalt be myssed, bicause the place where thou wast wonte to syt, shall be emptye. Therfore this daye thre dayes come downe in any wyse vnto the place where thou dyddest hyde thy selfe, ☞ when the busynes was in hande: euen by the stoone Esell. And I wyl shute thre arowes by the one syde ther∣of, as though I shot them at a marke, & wyll sende a lad, and byd hym go seke the arowes. And yf I say vnto the lad: se, the arowes are on this syde the, bryng them: then come thou: for it is peace, & no hurte, as sure as the lorde lyueth. But and yf I say vnto the lad, behold the arowes are beyonde the, then go (in peace) forthe Lorde hath sente the awaye. And as touchynge this whiche thou & I haue spo∣ken: beholde ☞ the Lorde be bytwene the, & me for euer. And so dauid hyd him selfe in the felde. And when the newe moone was come / the kynge sat hym downe to eate meate.

And the kynge sat hym downe after the [unspec E] olde maner, in his seate by the wall. And Io∣nathas arose, & Abner sat by Sauls syde, and Dauids place was emptye. Neuerthelesse Saull sayde nothynge at all that daye. For he thought: some thyng hath chaunced hym, that he is not cleyne. But on the morowe which was the second day of the new moone, it appened, that Dauids place was emptye agayne. And Saull sayde vnto Ionathas his sonne: wherfore cōmeth not the Sonne of Isai to meate, neyther yesterday nor to day? And Ionathas answered vnto Saull: Da∣uid asked lycence of me, to go to Bethleem, for he sayde, Let me go I praye the, for oure kynred doth holde an offerynge in the citye / & my brother hath sent for me. And therfore yf I haue founde fauoure in thyne eyes, let me go, and se my brother. This is the cause that he cōmeth not vnto the kynges table.

Then was Saull angrye with Ionathas, [unspec F] & sayde vnto hym: Thou wycked rebell, do not I knowe, that thou hast chosen the son of Isai vnto thyne owne rebuke, & vnto the re∣buke and shame of thy mother? For as longe as the son of Isai lyueth vpō the earth, thou shalt not be stablyshed, nor yet thy kyngdom, wherfore nowe sende and fet hym vnto me / for he is the chylde of death. And Ionathas answered vnto Saull his father, & sayde to hym: wherfore shulde he dye? What hath he done? And Saul lyfte vp a speare to hyt hym / wherby Ionathas wyst well, that it was vt∣terlye determyned of his father, to sley Da∣uid. And so Ionathas arose from the table in a great anger, & dyd eate no meat the second daye of the moneth, for he was sory for Da∣uid, bycuse his father had done hym shame. On the nexte mornynge, Ionathas went out in to the felde, at the tyme appoynted with Dauid, & a lytle lad with hym. And he sayde vnto his boye: run & seke out myne arowes whiche I shute. And as the boye ran, he shot an arowe beyonde hym. And when the ladde [unspec G] was come to the place whyther Ionathas had shot the arow, Ionathas cryed after the lad, and saydens not the arowe beyonde the? And Ionathas cryed after the lad agayne / make spede, & stande not styll. And Ionathas lad gathered vp the arowes, and came to his mayster. But the lad wyst nothynge of the matter: Only Ionathas and Dauid wyst it.

And Ionathas gaue his wepons vnto the lad that was with hym, & sayd vnto hym: go and carye them to the towne. And as soone as the lad was gone, Dauid arose out of a place that was toward the south, and fell on his face to the grounde, and worshypped thre tymes. And they kyssed eyther other, & wepte togyther so longe, tyll Dauid exceded in we∣pynge. And Ionathas sayd to Dauid: go in peace. And the thyng{is} which we haue sworne both of vs in the name of the lorde, sayenge: the Lorde be bytwene the & me, and bytwene thy seed & myne, let them stand for euer. And he rose and departed. And Ionathas went in¦to the towne.

¶ Dauid fleeth into Nob. to Ahimelech the Preest. & getteth of hym the shew breade to satisfye his hunger Afterwarde he fleeth to kynge Achis / & there feyneth hym selfe to be mad.

CAPI. XXI.

THen came Dauid to Nob to Ahimelech [unspec A] the preest: And Ahimelech was a stonied at the sodayne cōmynge of Dauid, and sayde vnto hym: Why arte thou alone, & no man with the? And Dauid sayde to Ahime∣lech the preest: the kynge hath cōmaūded me to do a certayne thyng, & hath sayd vnto me / let no man knowe where aboute I sende the, and what I haue cōmaunded the to do. And I haue appoynted my seruaūtes, to soch and soche places. Nowe therfore yf y^u has ••aught vnder thyne hande? gyue me fyue loues of breade, or what commeth to hande. And the preest answered Dauid, & sayde: there is no comen breade vnder my hande, but here is

halowed breade, yf the yonge men haue kept [unspec B] them selues from vncleane women.

Dauid answered the Preest, & sayde vnto hym: of a trueth women hath ben locked vp from vs aboute a thre dayes, when I came out & the ☞ vessels of the yonge men were holy. Howe be it ☞ this waye is vnpure, and howe muche more shall there be holynesse in the vyssell. And so the preest gaue hym ha∣lowed bread, for there was none other breade there saue the shew breades, that were taken frō before the lorde, to put freshe bread there, the daye that it was taken awaye. And there was there the same daye a certayne man of the seruaūtes of Saull abydynge before the lorde, named Doeg an Edomite, the cheyfest of Sauls heerde men. And Dauid sayd vn∣to [unspec C] Ahimelech: is not here vnder thyne hande eyther speare or swerde? For I haue neyther brought my swerde / nor my harnesse with me, bycause the kyng{is} busynes required hast And the Preest sayde: the swerde of Goliath the Philistine whome thou sluest in the Oke valeye, beholde, it is here wrapt in a cloth be∣hynde the Ephod. Yf thou wylte take that / take it, for there is none other saue that here. And Dauid sayd: there is none to that, gyue it me. And Dauid arose & fled the same daye from the presence of Saull, & went to Achis the kynge of Geth. And the seruauntes of A∣chis sayd of him: is not this Dauid the kyng of the lande? dyd they not synge vnto him, in daunces saynge, Saul hath sleyne his thou sande, & Dauid his. x. M? And Dauid put [unspec D] those word{is} into his herte, & was sore afrayd of Achis the kynge of Geth. And he chaūged his speche before them, and feyned hym selfe mad in theyr handes, & scrabled on the dores of the gate, & let his spattell fall downe vpon his bearde. Then sayde Achis vnto his ser∣uauntes: Lo, ye se that this man is besyde him selfe, wherfore then haue ye brought him to me? Haue I nede of mad men that ye haue brought this felowe to play the mad man in my presence? Shall he come into my house.

¶ Doeg betrayeth Dauid. Ahimelech is accused of treson, and sleyne, and lxxxiiii. preestes moo with hym, bycause they receyued Dauid. Nob is destroyed of Saull. Abiathar fleeth to Dauid.

CAPI. XXII.

DAuid therfore departed thence, & esca∣ped, [unspec A] and came vnto the caue Odollam. When his brethren also & al his fathers house herde it, they went downe thyther to hym. And there gathered vnto hym all men that were in cōbraunce, & in det, & troubled in theyr myndes, & he became a captayne ouer them. And there were with him vpon a. iiii. •• men. And Dauid went thence to Mizpa in the lande of Moab, & sayd vnto the kynge of Moab: let my father & my mother (I pray the) ☞ come forth vnto you, tyll I knowe what god wyl do for me. And he brought them be∣fore the kynge of Moab, & they dwelte with hym all the whyle that Dauid kept hym selfe in holde. And the prophet Gad sayde vnto Dauid: Abyde not in holde, but departe, & go into the lande of Iuda. Then Dauid depar∣ted & came in to the forest Hareth. And Saul herde that Dauid was come abrode, & also the men that were with hym. And Saull sat in Gibea vnder a tree in Rama, hauynge his speare in his hande, & al his men stode about him. And Saull sayd vnto his seruaūtes that [unspec B] stoode about hym. Heare I praye you ☞ ye sonnes of Iemini: wyll the son of Isai gyue euery one of you feldes, and vineyerdes, and make you all captaynes ouer thousandes, & ouer hundreds? that ye haue also conspyred agaynst me, & there is none that telleth it me in myne eare. And where as my son hath made a bonde w^t the son of Isai, there is none of you that mourneth for me, or sheweth it in myne eate: beholde, my son hath styrred vp my seruaunt to laye awayte agaynst me this same daye. Then answered Doeg the Edo∣mite, whiche also stode by the seruauntes of Saull, & sayde: I sawe the son of Isai, when he came to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahi∣tob, whiche asked counsayle of the Lorde for hym, & gaue hym vyttayles, & the swerde of Goliath the Philistine also. Then the kynge sent & called for Ahimelech the preest the son of Ahitob, & all his fathers house: that is to saye, the preestes that were in Nob. And they came all to the kyng. And Saull sayd: heare nowe thou son of Ahitob. He answered: here [unspec C] I am, my Lorde. And Saull sayde vnto hym: why haue ye cōspyred agaynst me, thou and the son of Isai, in that thou hast gyuen hym vyttayle, & a swerde, & hast asked consayle of god for him, that he shuld aryse agaynst me / and laye awayte, for me this day? Ahimelech answered the kynge, & sayd: who is so fayth∣full amonge all thy seruaūtes as Dauid, and therto the kynges son in lawe, & goeth at thy byddynge, and is had in honoure in thyne house? haue I this daye begon fyrst to aske counsayle of god for hym? That be far from me: let not the kynge put soch a thynge vnto his seruaūt, in all the house of my father. For thy seruaunte knewe nothynge of all this, eyther lesse or more. The kynge sayde, thou shalte surelye dye Ahimalech, thou & all thy fathers house. And the kynge sayde vnto the

fate men that stode aboute hym: turne, and sley the preestes of the Lorde, bothe bycause [unspec D] theyr hande is with Dauid, and bycause they knew when Dauid fled, and shewed it not to me. But the seruauntes of the kynge wolde not moue theyr hand{is}, to fal vpon the preest{is} of the Lorde: And the kynge sayde to Doeg: turne thou, and fall vpon the Preestes. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and ran vpon the preestes, & slewe that same day. lxxx. &. v. per∣sons, that dyd weare a lynnen Ephod. And Nob the citye of the Preestes smote he w^t the edge of the swerde, both men & women, chyl∣dren, & sucklynges, oxen, and asses, & shepe.

And one of the sonnes of Ahimelech the son of Ahitob (named Abiathar) escaped, & fled to Dauid. And Abiathar shewed Dauid, how that Saull had sleyne the lordes preest{is}. And Dauid sayde vnto Abiathar: I wyst it the same day, whē Doeg the Edomite was there / that he wolde tell Saull. And I am cause of the death of all the soul{is} of thy fathers house Abyde thou with me, & feare not: For yf any man seke my soule, he shall seke thyne also / with me thou shalte be in sauegarde.

¶ Dauid fleeth into the wylldernes of ziph.

CAPI. XXIII.

THey tolde Dauid sayenge: Beholde, the [unspec A] Philistines fyght agaynst Keilah, and spoyle the barnes. Therfore Dauid as∣ked the Lords aduyse, saynge: shall I go and smyte these Philistines? And the Lorde an∣swered vnto Dauid: go & smyte the Philisti∣nes, and saue Keilah. And Dauids men that were w^t hym, sayd vnto hym: se, we be afrayd here in Iuda: howe muche more then yf we come to Keilah agaynst the hoost of the Phi∣listines? Then Dauid asked the lorde agayne And the lorde answered hym, & sayde: Aryse, and go downe to Keilah, for I wyll delyuer the Philistines into thyne hande. And so Da∣uid & his men went to Keilah, & fought with the Philistines, & droue awaye theyr cattell / and smote them with a great slaughter. And so Dauid saued the enhabyters of Keilah.

And it chaunced, when Abiathar the son [unspec B] of Ahimelech fled to Dauid to Keilah, that he brought an Ephod with him in his hande And it was tolde Saul, that Dauid was come to Keilah. And Saull sayd: God hath delyue∣red hym in to myne hande. For he is shut in now that he is come into the towne that hath gates & barres. And Saull called all the peo∣ple togither to war, for to go downe to keilah and to beseyge Dauid & his men. And Dauid hauynge knowledge that Saull ymagened myscheyfe agaynst hym, sayde to Abiathar the preest: Brynge the Ephod. Then sayde Dauid: O Lorde God of Israell, thy seruaūt hath herde, that Saull is aboute to come a∣gaynst Keilah to destroye the Citye for my sake: wyll the men of Keilah delyuer me into his hande? And wyll Saull come downe, as thy seruaunt hath herde saye? O Lorde God of Israell, tell thy seruaunt. And the Lorde sayde: he wyll come downe. Then sayde Da∣uid: wyll the men of Keilah delyuer me, & the men that are with me, into the hand of Saul? and the lorde sayde: they wyll betraye you.

Then Dauid and his men whiche were vpon a sixe hūdred, arose & departed out of Keilah, & went whyther they coulde. And it was tolde Saull, that Dauid was fled from Keilah, & he let the iourney alone. Dauid abode in the wyldernesse in stronge holdes, & remayned in a mountayne in the wyldernesse of Ziph.

And Saull sought hym euery daye, but [unspec C] god delyuered hym not into his hande. And Dauid sawe that Saull was come out, to seke his lyfe. And Dauid was in the wyldernesse of Ziph in a thycket. And Ionathas Sauls son arose, & went to Dauid in to the thycket, & conforted his hand in god, & sayd vnto hym: feare not, for the hande of Saull my father shall not fynde the, & thou shalt be kyng ouer Israell, & I must be ne••te vnto the. And that doth Saul my father know, And they made a bonde, bothe of them togyther before the lorde. And Dauid taryed styll in the thicket, & Ionathas went to his house. Then came the Ziphites to Saull, to Gibea, sayenge: Dothe not Dauid hyde him selfe fast by vs in strong holdes, in a thycket that is by the hyll of Ha∣chila, on the ryght syde of the wyldernesse?

Nowe therfore kynge, y^u mayest come downe accordynge to all the lust of thy soule: come downe, & our parte shall be to delyuer hym in to the kyng{is} hande. And Saul sayd: Blessyd are ye in the Lorde: for ye haue cōpassyon on me. Go I praye you, & ordre the matter well, knowe & se his haunte, where his foote hath ben, & who hath sene hym there: for it is tolde me, that he is very subtyl, & worketh craftly.

Se therfore, and knowe all the lurkynge [unspec D] places, where he hydeth hym selfe, & come ye agayne to me with the certeyntye, & I wyl go with you. And yf he be in the lande, I wyll serche hym out thorowout all the thousand{is} of Iuda▪ And they arose, & went to Ziph be∣fore Saull. But Dauid & his men were in the wyldernesse of Maon, in the playne that is / on the ryght hande of Iesymon. Saull also and his men went to seke: & they tolde Dauid Wherfore he went vnto a Rocke, and abode

in the wyldernesse of Maon. And when Saul herde that, he folowed after Dauid in the wyl¦dernesse of Maon. And Saull and his men went on the one syde of the mountayne, and Dauid and his men on the other syde. And Dauid toke thought, howe to get from Saull. For Saull & his men, cōpassed Dauid and his men, rounde aboute, to take them. But there came a messenger to Saull, sayenge: Hast the, and come, for the Philistines are come in to the lande. Wherfore, Saul returned from persecutyng Dauid, & went agaynst the Phi∣listines. And therfore is it, that they called the place: The rocke of separacion. And Da∣uid went thence, & dwelte in stronge holdes at Engadi.

¶ Dauid fleeth into Engadi, and there hydeth hym in •• ••au••. Saull ••ōmeth in thy thee to do his ••a••••mente.

CAPI. XXIIII.

WHen Saull was come agayne from fo¦lowynge [unspec A] after the Philistines, it for∣tuned, that there were, which tolde hym, say∣enge: beholde, Dauid is in the wyldernesse of Engadi. Then Saul toke▪ iii. M. chosen men out of Israell, & went to seke Dauid, and his men in the heygth of the Rock{is}, where wylde gootes remayne. And he came to the flockes of shepe in the waye. And Saull went in to a caue ☞ to couer his feete. And Dauid & his men remayned in the inwarde partes of the caue. And the men of Dauid sayde vnto hym: se, the day is come, of whiche the Lorde sayde vnto the: Beholde, I wyll delyuer thy ene∣myes in to thyne hande, & thou shalte do to hym as it shal seme good in thy syght. Then Dauid arose and cut of a lap of Sauls gar∣ment pryuelye. And immediatly ☞ Dauids herte smote hym bycause he had cut of a lap of Sauls garment.

And he sayd vnto his men, the lorde kepe [unspec B] me from doyng that thyng vnto my mayster the lord{is} anoynted, to lay myne hande vpon hym, seynge he is the anoynted of the Lorde. ❀ (For as truely as the lorde lyueth, excepte the lorde smyte hym, or excepte his day come, or yf he go not doune to vvar and perysshe: the lorde be mercyfull vnto me, that I lay not my hande vpon the Lordes anoynted.) And so Dauid kepte of his seruauntes with these wordes, & suffered them not to ryse agaynst Saull.

But Saull rose vp out of the caue and went awaye, Dauid also arose & went out of the caue, & cryed after Saull, saynge: My lorde kynge. And when Saull loked behynde hym. Dauid ••••owped to the earth, and bowed hym selfe, & sayde to Saull: wherfore gyuest thou an care to mennes wordes, that saye, Dauid seketh euyll agaynst the? Beholde, this daye [unspec C] thyne eyes haue sene, howe that the lorde de∣lyuered the this daye into myne hande in the caue. And some bad me kyll the, but I had cōpassyon on the, & sayde: I wyll not laye my handes on my mayster, for he is the Lordes anoynted. And moreouer, my father, beholde & se yet the lap of thy garment in my hande: in as moche as I kylled the not, when I cut of the lap of thy garment. Understande ther∣fore & se, that there is neyther euyll nor wyc∣kednesse in me, & that I haue not synned a∣gaynst the. And yet y^• huntest after my soule to take it. The Lorde be iudge bytwene the & me, & the lorde aduenge me of the. But myne hande be not vpō the. Accordyng as the olde prouerbe sayeth: wyckednes procedeth from the wycked: But myne hande be not vpō the

After whome is the kynge of Israell come out? After whome doest y^u moue persecucion? After ☞ a dead dog, & after a flee. The lorde be iudge, & iudge bytwene the & me, and se, & pleate my cause, & aduenge me of thyne hand

When Dauid had made an ende of spea∣kynge [unspec D] these wordes to Saull, Saull sayde: is this thy voyce my son Dauid? and Saul lyfte vp his voyce, & wept, & sayde to Dauid: thou arte more ryghtous then I, for y^u hast re¦warded me, w^t good, where as I haue rewar¦ded the with euyl. And thou hast shewed this daye, howe that y^u hast delte louynglye with me, for as moche as when the Lorde had loc∣ked me in thyne hand{is}, thou kylledst me not. For who shal fynde his enemye, & let him de∣parte into a good way? Wherfore the lorde re¦warde the with good, for that y^u hast done vn¦to me this day. And now behold, I wote well that thou shalt be kyng, & that the kyngdom of Israell shal be stablysshed in thyne hand. Sweare now therfore vnto me by the lorde, that thou shalte not destroye my seede after me / & that thou shalte not put my name out of my fathers house. And Dauid ☞ sware vnto Saull, and Saull went home. But Da∣uid and his men gat them vp vnto an holde.

Samuel dyeth. Dauid fleeth into the wylder••nes of Pharan.

CAPI. XXV. [unspec A]

AND Samuell dyed, and all the Is∣raelites gathered togyther & lamented hym, & buryed hym in his owne house at Rama. And Dauid arose, and gat hym to the wyldernesse of Pharan. And there was a man in Maon whose possessyon was in Carmell, & the man was excedyng myghtye, and had. iii. M. shepe, & a thousand gootes. And he was shearynge his shepe in Carmell. The name of the man was Naball, and the

name of his wyfe was Abigaill, & she was a woman of a god wyt, and bewtyfull. But the man was churlyshe, & of shrewed condicions, and was of the kynred of Caleb. And Dauid herde in the wyldernesse, that Naball dyd sheare his shepe. And Dauid sent out ten yonge men, & sayde vnto them: get you vp to Carmell, & go to Naball, and grete hym in my name. And thus shall ye saye: peace be to [unspec B] the, peace be to thyne house, & peace be vnto all that thou hast. Behold, I haue herde say / that thou hast shearers. Now, thy shepherds were with vs ❀ (in the vvyldernesse,) and we dyd them no spyte, neyther was there ought ❀ (of the flocke) myssyng vnto them, all the whyle they were in Carmel: aske thy laddes / and they wyll shewe the. Wherfore let these yonge men fynde fauoure in thyne eyes (for we come in a good ceason) & gyue I praye the whatsoeuer cōmeth to thyne hande, vnto thy seruaūtes, & to thy son Dauid. And when Dauids yonge men came, they tolde Naball al those wordes in the name of Dauid, & then helde theyr peace. And Naball answered Da∣uids seruaūtes, and sayde: What is Dauid? and what is the son of Isai? there is plentye of seruauntes nowe a dayes, that breake a∣waye euery men from his mayster. Shall I then take my breade, my water & my flesshe, that I haue kylled for my shearers, & gyue it vnto men whom I wote not whence they be?

And so Dauids seruauntes turned theyr [unspec C] way, & we•••• agayne, and came & tolde him al those sayenges. And Dauid sayde vnto his men: gyrde euery man his swerde about him

And they gyrded euery man his swerde a∣boute hym, and Dauid was gyrded with his swerde. And there folowed Dauid vpon a iiii. C. men, & two hundred abode by the stuffe

But one of the laddes tolde Abigaill Na∣bals wyfe, saynge: beholde, Dauid sent mes∣sengers vnto our mayster out of the wylder∣nesse to salute hym, and he rayled on them. And yet the men are very good vnto vs, and dyd vs no dysplesure, neyther myssed we any thyng, as longe as we were conuersant with them, when we were in the feldes. They were a wall of defence vnto vs both by nyght and day, all the whyle we were with them kepyng shepe. Nowe therfore, take hede, and se what thou hast to do, for there is an occasyon of euyll gyuen agaynst our mayster and all his houshold, seyng: he is vngracyous to speake to. Then Abigaill made hast, and toke. ii. C. loues, and two bottels of wyne, & fyue shepe redye dressed, and fyue measures of parched corne, and an hundred frayles of reasennes, and two hundred topnettes of fygges, and [unspec D] laded them on asses, & sayde vnto her yonge men: go ye before me. Beholde, I come after you But she tolde her husbande Naball no∣thyng therof. And as she rode on her asse she came pryuely downe the syde of the hyll, and beholde, Dauid and his men came downe a∣gaynst her, & she met them. And Dauid sayd: in vayne haue I kepte all that this felowe hath in the wyldernesse: so that nought was myssed of all that perteyned vnto hym. And he hath quyte me euyll for good. So and so do god vnto the enemyes of Dauid, yf I leaue of all that perteyne to hym, by the daw¦nynge of the daye, any thynge ☞ that pys∣seth agaynst the walle. And when Abigaill sawe Dauid, she hasted and lyght of her asse, and fell before Dauid on her face, and bowed her selfe to the groūde & fell at his feete, and sayde: Let this vnhappye dede be counted myne, my Lorde, and let thyne handmayde speake in thyne audience, & heare the wordes of thy handmayde. Let not my Lorde ❀ (the Kynge) regarde this vnthryftye man Nabal: for as his name is, so is he: ☞ Nabal is his name / and follye is with hym. But I thyne handemayde / sawe not the yonge men of my lorde, whom thou sendedst. Now therfore my [unspec E] lord, as sure as the lorde lyueth, & as thy soule lyueth, the Lorde hath withholden the from cōmynge to shede bloode, & withdrewe thyne hande. Nowe, I praye God, that thyne ene∣myes and they that entende to do my Lorde euyll, maye be as Naball. And nowe this is the ☞ blessynge whiche thyne hande mayde hath brought vnto my Lorde: & let it be gyuē vnto the yonge men, that folowe my Lorde. Forgyue the trespasse of thyne handmayde, for the lorde wyl make my lorde a sute h••use / bycause my lorde fyghteth the battels of the Lorde, & there coulde none euyl be founde in the in all thy dayes. And yf any man ryse to persecute the, & to seke thy soule, the soule of my lorde shall be bounde as ☞ in the bundel of the lyuyng with the lorde thy god. And the soules of the enemyes shal god cast out, euen as out of the mydle of a slyng. And when the lorde shall haue done to my lorde al the good that he hath promysed the, & shall haue made the ruler ouer Israell: then shall it be no de∣caye vnto the, nor discourage of herte vnto my lorde, that thou hast not shed blode cause∣lesse, nor aduenged thy selfe.

But when the lorde shall haue delte well, [unspec F] with my Lorde, then thyncke on thyne hand∣mayde. And Dauid sayde to Abigaill: blessed be the lorde God of Israell, whiche sente the

this daye to mete me. Blessyd is thy saynge / and blessyd arte thou, whiche hast kepte me this day from cōmyng to shed blood, & from aduengyng my selfe with myne owne hande. For in very dede, as sure as the Lorde God of Israell lyueth, which hath kepte me backe from hurtynge the, excepte thou haddest ha∣sted and met me, thynkest thou, there had ben lefte vnto Naball by the dawnynge of the daye, a pysser agaynst the wall? And so Da∣uid receyued of her hande, that whiche she had brought hym, and sayde to her: go vp in peace to thyne house. Behold, I haue obeyed thy voyce, and haue accepted thy person.

And Abigaill came to Naball: and beholde / he helde a feast in his house, lyke the feast of a kyng, and Nabals herte was mery within hym, for he was very dronken. Wherfore she tolde hym nothynge, neyther lesse nor more / [unspec G] vntyll the morowe day. But in the mornyng when the wyne was gone out of Naball, his wyfe tolde hym these wordes, and his herte dyed within hym, and he became as a stone: and vpon a ten dayes after, the Lorde smote Nabal, that he dyed. And when Dauid herde that Naball was deade, he sayde: Blessyd be the Lorde that hath iudged the cause of my rebuke of the hande of Nabal, and hath kept his seruaunt from euyll, and hath recompen¦sed the wyckednesse of Naball vpō his owne heade. And Dauid sent to cōmen with Abi∣gaill, to the entent to take her to his wyfe.

And when the seruauntes of Dauid were come to Abigaill to Carmell, they spake vn∣to her, sayenge: Dauid sent vs vnto the, to take the to his wyfe. And she arose, & bowed her selfe on her face to the arth, and sayd: Be∣holde, let thy handmayde be a seruaunte, to washe the feete of the seruaūtes of my lorde. And Abigaill hasted, & arose, and gat her vp vpon an asse, with fyue damsels of hers that went at her feete, and she went after the mes∣sengers of Dauid / and became his wyfe. Da∣uid also toke Ahinoam of Iesrahell, & they were both his wyues. But Saull gaue Mi∣choll his doughter Dauids wyfe to Phalti the son of Lais whiche was of Gallim.

¶ Saull slepeth in his tent, and Dauid taketh away his speare / and a cruse of water that stode at his heade.

CAPI. XXVI.

THe Ziphites came vnto Saull to Gi∣bea, sayenge: Doth not Dauid hyde him [unspec A] selfe in the hyll of Hachila which is be∣fore Iesimon? Saull arose, and went downe to the wyldernesse of Ziph, hauynge. iii. M. chosen men of Israell with hym, for to seke Dauid in the wyldernesse of Ziph. And Saull pytched in the hyll of Hachila whiche lyeth before Iesimon, by the waye syde. But Da∣uid dwelte in the wyldernesse. And he sawe that Saull came after hym in to the wylder∣nesse. Dauid therfore sent out spyes, and vn∣derstode that Saull was come in very dede. And Dauid arose & came to the place, where Saull had pytched, and Dauid behelde the place, where Saull laye, and Abner the son of Ner whiche was his cheyfe capteyne▪ Saul laye within, and the people, and the hooste rounde aboute hym. Then answered Dauid and spake to Ahimelech the Hethite, and to Abisai the son of Zaruia, & brother to Ioab, sayenge: Who wyll go downe w^t me to Saull to the hooste? And Abisai sayde: I wyll go downe with the. And so Dauid and Abisai came downe to the people by nyght.

And beholde, Saull laye slepyng within [unspec B] the hoost, & his speare stacke in the grounde at his heade. But Abner and the people laye rounde aboute hym. Then sayde Abisai to Dauid: God hath delyuered thyne enemye in to thyne hand this day. Now therfore, let me smyte hym once with my speare to the earth, and I wyll not smyte hym the seconde tyme. And Dauid sayd to Abisai: destroye hym not. For who can laye his hande on the Lordes a∣noynted, & be gyltlesse? And Dauid sayd fur∣thermore: as sure as the lorde lyueth, the lord shall smyte hym or his day shal come to dye, or he shall descende in to battayle, and there perish. The lorde kepe me from laynge myne hande vpon the Lordes anoynted. But take thou nowe the Speare that is at his heade, and the cruse of water, and let vs go. And so Dauid toke the speare, and the cruse of wa∣ter from Sauls heade, and they gat them a∣waye, and no man sawe it, or awaked.

For they were all a slepe, bycause the lorde [unspec C] had sent a slomber vpon them. Then Dauid went ouer to the other syde, and stode on the top of an hyll a far of (a greate space beynge bytwene them) And Dauid cryed to the peple, and to Abner the son of Ner, sayenge: Hea∣rest thou not Abner? Abner answerd, & sayd: What arte thou that ☞ cryest to the kynge? and Dauid sayde to Abner: arte not thou a man: and who is lyke the in Israell? Wher∣fore then hast thou not kepte thy Lorde the kynge? For there came one of the folke in, to destroye the kynge thy Lorde. It is not good that thou hast done. As truly as the lorde ly∣ueth, ye are worthy to dye, bycause ye haue not kepte your mayster, the lordes anoynted. And nowe se where the kyng{is} speare is, and the cruse of water, that was at his heade.

And Saull knewe Dauids voyce, & sayd: is this thy voyce my sonne Dauid? and Da∣uid sayde: it is my voyce, my lorde, O kynge. And he sayde: wherfore doth my Lorde thus persecute his seruaūt? for what haue I done? or what euyll is in myne hande? Nowe ther∣fore let my Lorde the kynge heare the word{is} of his seruaunt. Yf the lorde haue styrred the [unspec D] vp agaynst me, let hym smell the sauoure of a sacrifyce. But & yf they be the Chyldren of men, cursed are they before the lorde. For they haue cast me out this daye from abydyng in the enheritaunce of the lorde, sayenge: hence, & go serue other godd{is}. Now therfore let not my bloode fall to the earth before the face of the lorde. For the kyng of Israell is come out to hunt a flee, as when one dothe hunt a par∣trege in the mountaynes. Then sayd Saul: I haue synned, come agayne my son Dauid / for I wyll do the no more harme, bycause my soule was precyous in thyne eyes this daye. Beholde, I haue playde the foole, and haue erred excedyngly. And Dauid answered and sayde: Beholde, the kynges speare, let one of the yonge men come ouer, & set it. The lorde rewarde euery man accordynge to his rygh∣tuousnesse ❀ and fayth: for the lorde delyue∣red the into my hande this day, but I wolde not lay myne hande vpon the lordes anoyn∣ted. And beholde, lyke as thy lyfe was moche set by this daye in myne eyes: so be my lyfe set by in the eyes of the lorde, that he delyuer me out of all tribulacyon. Then Saull sayd to Dauid: Blessed arte thou my sonne Dauid for ❀ thou shalt be a doer and preuayle. And so Dauid went his waye, and Saull turned to his place agayne.

¶ Dauid ••••••eth to Achis hynge of Gath.

CAPI. XXVII.

ANd Dauid sayde in his herte: I shall [unspec A] peryshe one daye or other by the hande of Saull. Therfore is there nothynge better for me, then to flee and saue my selfe in the lande of the Philistines, and Saull shall cease & s••ke me no more in all the coostes of Israell, & so shall I escape out of his hande. And Dauid arose, & he and the syxe hundred men that were w^t hym, went vnto Achis, the son of Mao••h, Kynge of Geth. And Dauid dwelt with Achis at Geth, both he & his men / euery man w^t his housholde, & Dauid with his two wyues: Ahinoam the Iezrahelit, and Abigaill Nabals wyfe of Carmell. And it [unspec B] was tolde Saul, that Dauid was fled to Geth, & he sought no more for hym. And Dauid sayde vnto Achis: Yf I haue nowe founde grace in thyne eyes, let them gyue me a place in some towne in the feld{is}, that I may dwell there. For why shulde thy seruaunt dwell in the head citie of the kingdom with the. Then Achis gaue hym Zikleg the same daye, for whiche cause Zikleg perteyneth vnto the kyng{is} of Iuda vnto this daye. And the tyme that Dauid dwelt in the countrey of the Phi∣listines, was foure monethes, and certeyne dayes. And Dauid & his men went vp, and [unspec C] ran vpon the Gesurites, the Gerzites & the Amalechites: For those nacions were from the begynnyng the enhabytours of the land, as men go to Sur, vnto the lande of Egypt. And Dauid smote the lande, & lefte neyther man nor woman alyue, and droue awaye the shepe, the oxen, the asses, camels, and clothes & returned, & came to Achis. And Achis sayd where haue ye ben a ••ouynge this daye? And Dauid answered: Towarde the south of Iu∣da, & towarde the south of the Iezrahelit••s / [unspec D] & towarde the south of the ☞ Kenites. And Dauid saued neyther man nor woman alyue nor suffered them to come to Geth, for feare (sayeth he) leest they shulde tell on vs saynge: so dyd Dauid, and so wyll be his maner all the whyle he dwelleth in the countrey of the Philistines. And Achis byleued Dauid, say∣enge: He abhorreth his people of Israell, and therfore he shall be my seruaunt for euer.

¶ The Philistines mone warre agaynst Saull, whiche seketh alter an enchaunter.

CAPI. XXVIII.

ANd it chaunced in those dayes, that the [unspec A] Philistines gathered theyr hoost togy∣ther to war, to fyght with Israell. And Achis sayde to Dauid: Be sure, thou shalt go out with me to the battayle, thou & the men that are w^t the. And Dauid sayd to Achis: thē thou shalt knowe, what thy seruaunt can do. And Achis sayde agayne to Dauid: Then I wyll make the keper of my heade for euer.

Samuell was then dead, & all Israell had lamēted hym, and buryed hym in Rama his owne citye. And Saull had put the women that had spirytes of prophesye, & the Soth∣sayers out of the lande. And the Philistines gathered togyther, & came, & pytched in Su∣nem. And Saul gathered all Israel togyther, & they pytched in Gilboa: And when Saull sawe the hooste of the Philistines, he was a∣frayde, & his herte was sore astonyed. And when Saull asked counseyle of the Lorde, the lord answered hym not, neyther by dreames / nor ☞ by Urim, nor yet by prophetes. Then sayd Saull vnto his seruauntes, seke me a woman that hath a spiryte of prophesye, that I may go to her and aske of her. And his ser∣uauntes

sayde to hym: Beholde, there is a woman that hath a Spiryte of prophesye at Endor. And Saull chaunged hymselfe, and put on other rayment, and then went he and two men with hym, and they came to the wo∣man by nyght. And he sayde: prophesye vn∣to [unspec B] me by the Spiryte, and brynge me hym vp whome I shall name vnto the. And the wo∣man sayd vnto hym: Beholde, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath destroyed the women, that had prophesyenge spirytes, and the Sorcerers out of the lande. Wher∣fore then sekest thou an occasion agaynst my soule, that he may kyll me? And Saull sware to her by the lorde, saynge: As surely as the Lorde lyueth, there shall no harme chaūce the for this thyng. Then sayd the woman: whome shall I fetche vp vnto the? He answered: Brynge me vp Samuell. When the woman sawe Samuell, she cryed with a lowde voyce, & spake to Saull, saynge: why hast thou deceyued me? for y^u arte Saul. And the kynge sayd vnto her, be not afrayd: What seest thou? The woman sayde vnto Saull: ❀ I se godd{is} ascendyng vp out of the earth. He sayd vnto her agayne: what fassion is he of? She answered: there cōmeth vp an olde man with a mantell vpon hym.

And Saull perceyued that it was ☞ Sa∣muell, [unspec C] and he stouped with his face to the ground, and bowed hymselfe. And Samuel sayde to Saull, why hast thou vnquieted me, to make me be brought vp? Saul answered: I am sore encōbred. For the Philistin{is} make war agaynst me and god is departed from me & answereth me no more, neyther by pro∣phetes, neyther by dreames. And therfore I haue called the, that y^u mayest tell me, what I shall do. Then sayd Samuell: wherfore doest thou aske of me, whyle the Lorde is gone frō the, and is become thyne enemye? Truly the lorde hath done for hymselfe, euen as ☞ he spake by my hande. For the lorde hath rent the kyngdome out of thyne hande, & gyuen it to thy neyghbour Dauid. Bycause thou obeyedst not the voyce of the Lorde, nor exe∣cutedst his fearce wrath vpon the Amalechi∣tes, therfore hath the lord done this vnto the this daye. And moreouer, the Lorde wyll de∣lyuer Israell with the, into the handes of the Philistines. To morowe shalte thou & thy sonnes be with me, & the lorde shall gyue the hoost of Israell into the handes of the Phi∣listines. Then Saull fell streyght waye flat on the earth as longe as he was, & was sore a drede, bycause of the wordes of Samuell.

And there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread al the day & the nyght be∣fore. [unspec D] And the woman came vnto Saull, and sawe that he was sore troubled, & sayde vnto hym: Se, thyne handmayde hath obeyed thy voyce, & ☞ haue put my soule in my hand, and haue harkened vnto thy wordes, whiche thou saydest vnto me. Nowe therfore harken thou also vnto the voyce of thyne handmayd & let me set a morsell of bread before the, that thou mayst eate & get the strength, & then go on thy iourneye. He refused, & sayde: I wyll not eate. But his seruaūtes & the woman to∣gyther cōpelled hym, and he herkened vnto theyr voyce. And so he arose from the earth, and sat hym on a bed. The woman had a fat calfe in the house, & she hasted & kylled it, and toke floure & kneded it, & dyd bake swete cak{is} therof, & brought them before Saull & before his seruaūtes. And whē they had eaten, they stode vp, and went awaye the same nyght.

¶ Dauid goth with kynge Achi•• to fyght agaynst Saull.

CAPI. XXIX.

THe Philistines were gathered togyther [unspec A] with all theyr armyes vnto Aphec: And the Israelites pytched in Aim, which is in Iesrahell. And the lordes of the Philisti∣nes went forth w^t the hundreds & thousand{is} But Dauid, & his men came behynde with Achis. Then sayde the lordes of the Philisti∣nes, what are yonder Hebrues? Achis sayde vnto the Lordes of the Philistines: Is not this Dauid the seruaunt of Saull the kynge of Israell, whiche hath ben with me ☞ these dayes or yeares? I haue founde no faure in hym, sence he fled vnto me vnto this daye.

And the Lordes of the Philistines were [unspec B] wroth with hym, & sayde vnto hym: Make this felowe returne, that he maye go agayne to his place which thou hast apoynted hym: and let hym not go downe w^t vs to battayle, leest in the battayle he be an aduersary to vs. For wherwith coulde he better obteyne the fa¦uour of his mayster, then with the heades of these men? Is not this Dauid, to whom they sange in daūses: Saull slewe his thousand, & Dauid his. x▪ M? Then Achis called Da∣uid, & sayde vnto hym: As sure as the Lorde lyueth, thou hast ben honest, and good in my syght, when thou wentest out & in with me in the hoost: neyther haue I founde euyll with the, sence thou camest to me vnto this daye: Neuerthelesse the Lordes of the Philistines [unspec C] fauour the not: Wherfore nowe returne, and go in peace, that thou dysplease not the lord{is} of the Philistines. And Dauid sayd vnto A∣chis: And what haue I done? what hast thou founde in thy seruaunt, as longe as I haue

bene with the vnto this day, that I maye not go fyght agaynst the enmyes of my lorde the kyng? Achis answered & sayde to Dauid: I knowe that thou arte good, & art in my sight as an angell of God. Notwithstandynge the lordes of the Philistines haue sayd. Let him not go vp with vs to battayl. Wherfore now aryse vp early in the mornyng with thy may∣sters seruauntes that are come to the: & when ye be vp early (as soone as ye haue lyght) de¦parte. And so Dauid & his men arose vp early to departe in the mornyng, and to returne in to the lande of the Philistines. And the Phi∣listines went vp to Iezrahel.

¶ Dauid returnyng from kynge Achis fyndeth zi••leg burnt.

CAPI. XXX.

BUt when Dauid & his men were come [unspec A] to Zikleg the thyrde daye, the Amaleki∣tes had russhed in vpō the south, & vpon Zikleg, & had smytten Zikleg, & burnt it w^t fyre, & had taken the women (that were ther∣in) prysoners, both small and great: but siue not a man, saue caryed them with them, and went theyr wayes. So Dauid and his men came to the citie: & beholde, it was burnt with fyre, and theyr wyues, theyr sonnes and theyr doughters were caryed away. Then Dauid & the people that was with hym, lyft vp theyr hoyces & wepte, vntyll they coulde wepe no more. And Dauids two wyues were taken [unspec B] prisoners also: Ahinoam the Iezraelite, and Abigall the wyfe of Nabal the Carmelite. And Dauid was in a shrewde combraunce: for the people entended to stone hym, bycause the hert{is} of al the people were vexed for theyr sonnes & theyr doughters. But Dauid toke a good courage to hym in the lorde his God, and sayd to Abiathar the preest Ahimelechs sonne: I pray the, bryng me the Ephod. And Abiathar brought the Ephod to Dauid. And Dauid asked counsayle at the lorde, saynge: shall I folow after this companye? & shall I ouertake them? And he answered hym: folow for thou shalte ouertake them, & recouer the praye. So Dauid & the. vi. C. men that were with hym, went and came to the ryuer Besor, where a parte of them abode. But Dauid and iiii. C. men folowed. For. ii. C. abode behynde beynge to wery to go ouer the ryuer Besor. And they founde an Egypcian in the felde, & [unspec C] brought hym to Dauid & gaue hym breade to eate, and water to drynke, and gaue hym a fewe fygges & two clusters of reasens. And when he had eaten, his spirite came agayne to hym: for he had eaten no bread, nor dronke no water in thre dayes and thre nyghtes.

And Dauid sayd vnto hym: to whom be∣longest thou? and whence arte thou? he sayd? [unspec D] I am a yonge man of Egypte and seruaunt to an Amalekite: and my mayster left me be∣hynde, bycause it is thre dayes agone, that I fell sycke: we came a rouynge vpon the south of Chretus, and agaynst Iuda, and towarde the south of Caleb. And we burnt Zikleg w^t fyre. And Dauid sayd vnto hym: Canst thou brynge me to this companye? And he sayde: Swere vnto me by god, that thou wylte ney¦ther kyll me, nor delyuer me into the handes of my mayster, and I wyll brynge the to the companye. And when he had brought hym thyther: Beholde, they laye scattered abrode vpon the earthe, eatyng & drynkyng, & daun∣syng, bycause of the plenteous & great praye that they had caried away out of the lande of [unspec E] the Philistines, & out of the lande of Iuda.

And Dauid layd vpon them from the euen vntyll the twylyght on the morowe: so that there escaped not a man of them, saue foure hundred yong men whiche rode away vpon camels, & fled. And Dauid recouered all that the Amalekites had caryed awaye, & Dauid rescued his two wyues: so that there was no person of them lackyng, small or great, sonne or doughter, or of the spoyle of all that they had taken awaye, Dauid recouered them all agayne. And Dauid toke all the shepe, & the oxen. And they draue them before his ca••••el, and sayde: this is Dauids pray. And Daui•• came to the. ii. C. men, that were to werye for to folowe Dauid, whom they had made also to abyde at the ryuer Besor. And they came to mete Dauid, and the people that were with hym. And when Dauid came to the people, he saluted them. Then answered all the wycked [unspec F] & the vnthryftes (of the men that went with Dauid) & sayd: Bycause they went not w^t vs, therfore wyll we gyue them none of the pray, that we haue recouered. But let euery man take his wyfe & his chyldren. These let them cary away, and be walkyng. Then sayde Da∣uid: ye shal not do so (my ••brethren) with that whiche the Lorde hath gyuen vs, and hath preserued vs, & delyuered the companye that came agaynst vs, into our handes. For who shulde hecken vnto you in this matter?

But as his parte is that goth downe and fyghteth, so shal his parte be, that taryeth by the stuffe that it may be parted alyke. And so from that day forwarde, was that made a sta¦tute & lawe in Israel vntyl this daye. When Dauid therfore came to Zikleg, he sent ❀ (gyf∣tes) of the pray vnto the elders of Iuda & to [unspec G] his frendes, saynge: se, there is a blessyng for you, of the spoyle of the enemyes of the lorde▪

He sent to them of Bethel: to them of southe Ramoth: to them of Iathir: to them of Aroer to them of Sephamoth: to them of Esthemoa to them of Rachel: to them of the cities of Ie∣rhameel: to them of the cityes of the Kenites: to them of Horma: to them of Borasā: to them of Athach: to them that are in Hebron, and in all places, where Dauid and his men were wonte to haunte.

Saul kylleth hym selfe, & his chyldr•• are sleyne in the battell.

CAPI. XXXI.

THe Philistines fought agaynst Israel [unspec A] & the men of Israel fled away from the Philistines, & fell downe wounded in mount Gilboa. And the Philistines preased sore vpon Saul & his sonnes, and slue Iona¦thas, & Abinadab & Melchusia Sauls son∣nes. And whē the battayle went sore agaynst Saul, the archers w^t bowes found hym: & he was sore afrayde of the archers. Then sayde [unspec B] Saul vnto his harnes berer: draw out thy swerde, & thrust me thorow therwith, lest these vncircumcised come & thrust me thorow, and make a mockyng stocke of me. But his har∣nes berer wolde not, for he was sore afrayde. And Saul toke a swerde, & fell vpon it. And when his harnes berer sawe that Saul was dead, he fel lykewyse vpon his swerde, & dyed w^t hym. And so Saul dyed & his. iii. sonnes, & his harnes berer, & al his mē that same day togyther. And when the men of Israell that [unspec C] were on the other syde of the valey, & they of the other syde Iordan, herde, that the men of Israel were put to flyght, & that Saul & his sonnes were deade, they lefte the cityes, & ran away, & the Philistin{is} came, & dwelt in them. On the morowe whē the Philistines were come to spoyle them that were sleyne, they founde Saul & his. iii. sonnes lye in mounte Gilboa. And they cut of his heade, & stryped him out of his harnes: & sent in to the land of the Philistines on euery syde, that they shuld publishe it in the tēple of theyr ydols: & amōg the people. And they layde vp his harnes in the house of Astharoth, but they hanged vp his body on the wal of Bethsan. When the inhabitours of Iabes in Gilead herde therof what the Philistines had done to Saul, they arose (as many as were strong men) & wente all nyght & toke the body of Saul, & the bo∣dyes of his sonnes from the wall of Bethsan & came to Iabes, & ☞ burnt them there, & toke theyr bones, & buryed them vnder a tree at Iabes, and fasted, vii. dayes

¶ The ende of the fyrst boke of Sa∣muel, otherwyse called the fyrst of the kyng{is}.

¶ The second boke of Samuel, otherwyse called the seconde boke of the kynges.

¶ The lamentacyon of Dauid for Saull and Ionathas.

CAPI. Primo.

AFter the death of Saull [unspec A] when Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Amalecki∣tes, & had bene two dayes in Zik∣leg, Beholde, there came a mā the thyrde day out of the hoost from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth vpon his head. And when he came to Dauid, he fell to the earthe and dyd obeysaunce. Dauid sayde vnto hym: whence comest thou? He sayde vnto hym: Out of the hoost of Israell am I escaped. And Dauid sayde vnto hym. And what is chaunced? tell me. He sayde: the people is ••••ed from the bat∣tayle: & many of the people are ouerthrowen, and deade: And Saull and Ionathas his sonne are deade also.

And Dauid sayd vnto the yong man that [unspec B] tolde hym these thynges. How knowest thou that Saul and Ionathas his sonne be dead? The yong man that tolde hym answered: I came by chaunce to mount Gilboa: And be∣holde, Saul leaned vpon his speare. For the charettes and companyes of horse men fo∣lowed harde after hym. And when he loked backe he sawe me, and called me. And I an∣swered: Here am I. And he sayde vnto me: What arte thou? I answered hym: I am an Amelekite. He answered vnto me agayne. Stand vpon me, and slee me: For anguyshe is come vpon me, though my lyfe be yet all in me. And so I stode vpon hym, & slue hym: for I was sure that he coulde not lyue, ☞ af∣ter that he had fallen. And I toke the crowne that was vpon his heade, and the Bracclet that was on his arme, & haue brought them hyther vnto my Lorde. Then Dauid toke holde on his clothes, and rent them, and so dyd al the men that were with hym. And they mourned, and wepte, & fasted vntyll euen, for Saul and Ionathas his son, & for the people of the lorde, & for the house of Israel, bycause they were ouerthrowen with the swerde.

And Dauid sayd vnto the yong man that [unspec C] brought hym these tydynges: Whence arte thou? And he answered. I am the son of an alyaunt an Amalekite. And Dauid sayd vn∣to hym: How is it that thou wast not afrayde to lay thyne hande on the Lordes anoynted, to destroye hym.

And Dauid called one of his yonge men and sayde: Go to, & run vpon hym. And he smote hym: that he dyed: thē sayd Dauid vnto hym. Thy blood be vpon thyne owne heade. For thyne owne mouth hath testified agaynst the saynge: I haue sleyne the Lordes anoynted.

And Dauid mourned with this lamenta∣cion ouer Saul and ouer Ionathas his son, & bad teache the chyldren of Israel the ☞ vse of the bowe. And beholde, it is wrytten in the boke of the ryghteous. ❀ (And he sayde. Con∣syder, O Israell, these that be deade and vvoun∣ded vpon thy hygh hylles.) ☞ O noble Israel the wounded are sleyne vpon thy hylles: Oh howe are the myghtye ouerthrowen. Tell it not in Gath: nor publysshe it in the streetes of Askalon: lest the doughters of the Philisti¦nes reioyse, and lest the doughters of the vn∣circumcised triumph. Ye mountaynes of Gil¦boa, vpon you be neyther dewe nor rayne, ☞ not vpon these feldes of offerynges. For there the shelde of the myghtie is cast downe: the shelde of Saull, as thoughe he had not [unspec D] bene anoynted with oyle. The bow of Iona∣thas and the swerde of Saul turned neuer backe agayne emptie, from the blood of the sleyne, and from the fat of the myghtye war∣ryours. Saul and Ionathas were louely & pleasaūt in theyr lyues, and in theyr deathes they were not deuyded. They were swyfter then Egles, and stronger then Lyons.

Ye doughters of Israel, wepe ouer Saull, whiche clothed you in purple with pleasures and hanged ornamentes of golde vpon your apparell. Howe were the myghtye sleyne in battayle? Ionathas is deade on the hygh hylles. Wo is me for the (my brother Iona∣thas) verye kynde hast thou bene vnto me.

Thy loue to me was wonderful, passyng the loue of women. ❀ (As a mother loueth her onely chylde, euen so dyd I loue the.) Oh howe are the myghtye ouerthrowen? and the wea∣pons of warre destroyed.

¶ Dauid is anoynted in Hebron. The battayle of the seruauntes of Dauid and Isboseth.

CAPI. II.

AFter this, it fortuned, that Dauid as∣ked [unspec A] counsayle at the Lorde, saynge: shal I go vp into any of the cities of Iuda? And the Lorde sayde vnto hym: go. And Da∣uid sayde agayne: Whyther shall I go? He answered: Unto Ebron. And so Dauid wente thyther with his two wyues, Ahinoam the Iesraelit, & Abigall Nabals wyfe the Carme¦lite. And the mē that were with hym, dyd Da∣uid cary vp also, euery man w^t his housholde And they dwelte in the townes of Hebron.

And the men of Iuda came, and there they anoynted Dauid kyng, ouer the house of Iu∣da. And they tolde Dauid, saynge: It is the men of Iabes in Gilead that buryed Saul.

And Dauid sent messengers vnto the men [unspec B] of Iabes in Gilead, & sayde vnto them: bles∣sed are ye vnto the lorde, that ye haue shewed suche kyndnesse vnto your Lorde Saul, and haue buryed hym. And now the Lorde shew mercye and truthe vnto you. And I wyll do you also suche kyndnesse as ye haue done in this thynge. Therfore nowe let your handes be strong, & play ye the mē: For your mayster Saul is dead. And they that are of the house of Iuda, haue anoynted me kyng ouer them. But Abner the sonne of Ner that was cap∣tayne [unspec C] of Sauls hoost, toke Isboseth the son of Saul, and brought hym to Mahanaim, and made hym kynge ouer Gilead, and ouer the Assurites, and ouer Iesrahel: Ephraim, Ben Iamin and ☞ ouer all Israel. And Is∣boseth Sauls sonne was fourtye yere olde, when he began to reygne ouer Israell, and reygned two yere. But the house of Iuda fo∣lowed Dauid. And the tyme whiche Dauid reygned in Hebron ouer the house of Iuda, was. vii. yere and syxe monethes. And Abner the sonne of Ner and the seruauntes of Is∣boseth the sonne of Saul wente out of Ma∣hanaim, to Gibeon. And Ioab the son of Zar∣uia and the seruauntes of Dauid went out, and met them by the poole of Gibeon. And they sat downe, the one on the one syde of the poole, and the other on the other syde. And Abner sayd to Ioab: let the yong men aryse, and ☞ play before vs. And Ioab sayde: Let them aryse.

Then there arose and went ouer twelue of [unspec D] Ben Iamin by nombre, whiche perteyned to Isboseth the sonne of Saul, & twelue of the seruauntes of Dauid. And euery one caught his felowe (that came agaynst hym) by the heade, & thrust his swerde in his syde, and so they fell downe togyther. Wherfore the place was called. The felde of the myghtye. And it is in Gibeon. And there began an excedynge cruel battayle that same day. For Abner & the men of Israell fell before the seruauntes of Dauid. And there were thre sonnes of Zar∣uia there: Ioab, Abisai & Asahel. And Asahel was as lyght of foote as a wylde Roo, and Asahel folowed after Abner, and turned neyther to the right hande nor to the lefte, frō Abner. Then Abner loked behynde him, and [unspec E] sayd: Art thou Asahel? he answered. Yea that I am. Abner sayde: turne the eyther to the ryght hande or to the lefte, & catche one of the

yonge men, and take the his weapons. But Asahel wolde not departe from hym. And Ab¦ner sayd agayne to Asahel, departe fro me. Wherfore shulde I smyte the to the grounde and not be able to holde vp my face to Ioab thy brother? Howbeit, when he wolde in no wyse departe, Abner with the hynder ende of the spere smote hym vnder the short rybbes, that the spere came out behynde hym, that he fell downe in the same place, and dyed there. And as many as came to the place where Asa [unspec F] hell fel downe and dyed, stode styll. Ioab also and Abisai folowed Abner. And the son went downe, when they were come to the hyll Ama that lyeth before Giah by the way that goeth thorowe the wyldernesse of Gibeon. And the children of Ben Iamin gathered them selues togyther on an heape, to Abner, and stode on the top of an hyl. Then Abner called to Ioab and sayde: shall the swerde deuoure styll for euer? knowest thou not, that it wyll be ☞ bit∣ternes in the latter ende? howe longe shall it be, or thou byd the people returne from fo∣lowynge theyr brethren?

And Ioab sayde: as truely as God lyueth ☞ yf thou haddest not spokē in the mornyng the people had ben departed, euery one from [unspec G] persecutyng his brother. And so Ioab blew a trompet, and all the people stode styl, & pur¦sued after Israel no more, neyther foughte they any more. And Abner and his men wal∣ked all that nyght thorowe the playne, and went ouer Iordan, & past thorowe all Beth∣horon tyll they came to Mahanaim.

And Ioab returned from persecutyng Ab¦ner. And when he had gathered all the people togyther, there lacked of Dauids seruauntes nynetene men, & Asahel. But the seruauntes of Dauid had sleyne of Ben Iamin & of Ab∣ners men, thre bundred & thre score men. And they toke vp Asahel and buryed hym in the Sepulchre of his father in Bethleem. And Ioab and his men went all nyght, vntyll the dawnynge of the day, and came to Hebron.

¶ Abner cōmeth to Dauid and bryngeth hym his wyse Michol. Ioab kylleth Abner.

CAPI. III.

THere was longe war bytwene the house [unspec A] of Saul and the house of Dauid. But Dauid waxed stronger and stronger, & the houe of Saul weyker and weyker. And vnto Dauid were ❀ (syxc) chyldren borne in Hebron: his eldest sonne also was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Iezrahelite: the seconde Che∣leab, of Abigail the wyfe of Nabal the Car∣melite: the thyrde Absalom, the son of Maa∣chah the doughter of Thalmai the kynge of Gessur: the fourth Adonai, the son of Hagith the fyfte, Sephatia the sonne of Abitall: the syxte, Iethream by Egla Dauids wyfe. These were borne to Dauid in Hebron. And it fortuned that whyle there was warre by∣twene the house of Saul & the house of Da∣uid, Abner helde vp the house of Saul. And Saul had a concubyne named Rizpa, the doughter of Ahia.

And Isboseth sayde to Abner: wherfore [unspec B] hast thou ☞ gone into my fathers cōcubine? Then was Abner very wroth for the wordes of Isboseth, and sayde: Am I not a dogges heade, whiche agaynst Iuda do shewe mercy this daye vnto the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethrē and frendes, and haue not delyuered the into the hande of Dauid: and thou fyndest a faute in me this daye for this woman? So and so do God to Abner. For as the Lorde hath sworne to Dauid, so wyll I be on his syde, to bryng the kyngdome frō the house of Saul, that the throne of Dauid may be stablysshed ouer Israel & ouer Iuda euen from Dan to Bersabe. And he coulde gyue Abner neuer a worde to answere, by∣cause he feared hym.

And Abner sent messengers to Dauid ❀ se∣cretly, [unspec C] sayenge. whose is the lande? Make a bonde with me, & beholde, my hande is with the, to brynge all Israel vnto the: He sayde, It is good that I make a bonde with the. But one thyng I requyre of the, that thou se not my face, excepte thou fyrst bryng Michol Sauls doughter, whē thou comest to se me.

And Dauid sent messengers to Isboseth Sauls son, sayenge: delyuer me my wyfe Michol, which I maried with an hundred foreskynnes of the Philistin{is}. And Isboseth sent, and toke her from her husbande Pal∣••iel the son of Lais. And her husbande went with her, and came wepyng behynde her, tyll they came to Bahurim. Then sayde Abner vnto hym, go and returne. And he returned. And Abner had cōmunicacion w^t the elders of Israell, sayenge: Ye sought for Dauid in tymes past, that he myght be your hynge. Nowe then do it: for the Lorde hath sayde of Dauid: By the hande of my seruaunt Dauid I wyll saue my people Israel, out of the han¦des of the Philistines, & out of the hande of all theyr enemyes. And Abner spake in the [unspec D] eares of Ben Iamin, & went to tel in the ear{is} of Dauid in Hebron, all that Israel was con∣tent with and the hole house of Ben Iamin. And so Abner came to Dauid to Hebron, ha∣uyng twentye men with hym, & Dauid made hym and the men that were with hym a feast.

And Abner sayde vnto Dauid: I wyll [unspec D] vp and go gather all Israell vnto my Lorde the kynge, that they may make an appoynt∣ment with the, & that thou mayst cōmaunde all as thyne herre desyreth. And when Dauid had let Abner departe, he went in peace.

And beholde, the seruauntes of Dauid, & Ioab came from chasynge the robbers, and brought a great pray with them. But Abner was not with Dauid in Hebron: for he had sent hym away to depart in peace. Whē Ioab & al the hoost that was with hym were come, men tolde Ioab sayenge: Abner the sonne of Ner came to the kyng••, and he hath sent hym awaye, that he is gone in peace. Then Ioab came to the kyng, and sayde: what hast thou done? Beholde, Abner came vnto the, & why hast thou sent hym away, that he shuld scape quyte? Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, [unspec E] for he came to deceyue the, and to knowe thy out goyng & in goynge, and to know all that thou doest. And when Ioab was come oute from Dauid, he sent messengers after Abner whiche brought hym agayne from the well of Sira, vnknowyng to Dauid. And when Abner was come agayne to Hebron, Ioab toke hym asyde in the gate to speake with hym secretly, & smote hym vnder the shorte rybbes that he dyed, ☞ for the blood of Asa∣hel his brother. And whē afterwarde it•• came to Dauids eare, he sayde. I & my kyngdome are gyltlesse before the lorde for euer, concer∣nyng the blood of Abner the son of Ner. Let the blood remayne on the head of Ioab & on [unspec F] all his fathers house: that the house of Ioab be neuer without one▪or other that hath run∣nyng issues or leper, & that leaneth on a staffe & that doth fal on the swerde, & lacketh bread. And the cause why Ioab & Abisai slue Abner was, that Abner had sleyne theyr brother Asahel at Gibeō in battayle. And Dauid sayd to Ioab, & to all the people that were w^t hym. Rent your clothes, & put on sacke cloth, & mourne before Abner. And kyng Dauid hym selfe folowed the corse. And when they buried Abner in Hebron, the kyng lyft vp his voyce and wepte besyde the sepulchre of Abner, & so dyd all the people. And the kynge lamented ouer Abner, and sayde: ☞ dyed Abner as a foole dyeth? Thy handes were not bounde, nor thy feete brought in to cheynes: but as a man falleth before wycked Chyldren, so fel∣lest thou. And al they that were of the people wepte yet more ouer hym.

And whē al the people came to eate meate [unspec G] with Dauid, whyle it was yet daye, Dauid sware, saynge: So and so do god to me▪ yf I tast breade or ought els, tyl the son be downe. And the people wyst it, and it pleased them. And what soeuer the kyng dyd, it pleased all the people. For all the people and all Israell vnderstode that day, how that it was not the kynges dede, that Abner the son of Ner was sleyne. And the kyng sayd vnto his seruaun∣tes: knowe ye not, howe that there is a Lorde and a great man fallen this day in Israell? And I am this day tender, & anoynted kyng.

And these men the sonnes of Zaruia be to harde for me. The Lorde rewarde the doer of euyll, accordyng to his wyckednesse.

¶ Baanath and Rechab slue Isboseth the son of Sauls.

CAPI. IIII.

WHen Sauls sonne herde that Abner [unspec A] was dead in Hebron, his handes were feble, & al the Israelites were afrayde.

And Sauls sonne had two men that were captaynes ouer the souldiours, the one cal∣led Baanah & the other Rechab, the sonnes of Rimmon a Berothite, of the chyldren of Ben Iamin: for Beroth was rekened to Ben Iamin. And these Berothites fled to G•••• thiam, and soiourned there vntyll the same tyme. And Ionathas Sauls sonne had a sonne that was lame on his feete.

And he was fyue yere olde, when the ty∣dynges [unspec B] came of Saul and Ionathas out of Israel. And his nurse toke hym vp, and s••ed away. And as she made hast to f••e, the childe fell, & began to halte, and his name was Mi∣phiboseth. And the sonnes of Rimmon the Berothite, Rechab and Baana went, & came in the heete of the day to the house of Isbo∣seth, whiche slepte on a bed at noone. ❀ (And the vvoman that vvas the keper of the dore, and clensed the vvheat, vvas a slepe) And they came into the mydd{is} of the house ❀ as though they wolde haue fetched wheate, and Rechab and Baana his brother smote him vnder the short [unspec C] rybbes, and fled. For when they came into the house, he slept on his bed in his resting cham her, and they smote hym, and slue hym, and beheaded hym, and toke his heade, and gat them away thorowe the playne all the nyght. And they brought the heade of Isboseth vn∣to Dauid to Hebron, and sayd to the kynge: beholde, there is the head of Isboseth Sauls sonne, thyne enemye, which sought after thy lyfe. And the lorde hath aduenged my Lorde the kynge this day, of Saul and of his seede.

And Dauid answerd Rechab and Baana [unspec D] his brother, the sonnes of Rimmon the Be∣rothite, and sayde vnto them: As surely as the Lorde lyueth, whiche hath delyuered my soule out of all aduersities: when one tolde

me and sayd that Saul was dead, thynkyng to haue brought good tydynges, I caughte hym, and slue hym in Zikleg: which thought that I wolde haue gyuen hym a rewarde for his tydynges bryngynge. Howe moche more when wycked men haue sleyne a ryghteous person, in his owne house and vpon his bed? Shal I not requyre his blood of your hande and take you from the earth? And Dauid cō∣maunded his yonge men, and they slue them and cut of theyr handes and fete, and hanged them vp ouer the poole in Hebron. But they toke the heade of Isboseth, and buryed it in the sepulchre of Abuer in Hebron.

¶ Dauid is yet agayne anoynted Kynge, and taketh the arke from Sion.

CAPI. V.

THen came all the trybes of Israell to [unspec A] Dauid, vnto Hebron and sayd. Beholde we are of thy bone and of thy flesshe. And in tyme past when Saul was out kyng thou leddest Israel in and out. And the lorde hath sayde to the: thou shalte fede my people Israell, and thou shalte be a captayne ouer Israell. And so all the elders of Israell came to the kynge to Hebron. And kynge Dauid made a couenaunt with them in Hebron be∣fore the Lorde. And they anoynted Dauyd kynge ouer Israell. Dauid was thyrtie yere olde, whē he began to reygne, and he reygned xl. yere. In Hebron he reygned ouer Iuda se∣uen yere and syxe monethes: And in Ierusa∣lem he reygned thyrtye and thre yeres ouer all Israel and Iuda.

The kynge also and his men wente to [unspec B] Ierusalem, vnto the Iebusites, the enhabi∣tours of the lande. Whiche spake vnto Da∣uid sayenge: ☞ excepte thou take away the blynde and the lame, thou shalte not come in hyther. For they sayde. Thou arte not able to come in hyther. Neuerthelesse Dauid toke the stronge holde of Sion. The same is the citye of Dauid. And Dauid sayde the same daye. Who soeuer smyteth the Iebusites, and get∣teth vp to the gutters of the houses, and smy¦teth the lame and the blynde that hate ☞ Da∣uids soule? Wherfore: they sayd, the blynde & the lame shal not come in to the house. And so Dauid dwelte in the towre and called it the citye of Dauid, and buylte rounde aboute it from Millo inwarde. And Dauid prospered & grewe, and the Lorde God of hoostes was with hym. And Hiram kynge of Tire sente messengers to Dauid, and Cedar trees, and carpenters and masons for walles: and they buylte Dauid an house. And Dauid percey∣ued, that the lorde had stablysshed hym kyng ouer Israel, & that he had exalted his kyng∣dom for his people Israels sake.

And Dauid toke hym mo concubines and [unspec C] wyues out of Ierusalem, after he was come from Hebron, & mo sonnes & doughters were yet borne to Dauid. And these be the names of the sonnes that were borne vnto hym in Ierusalem: Sāmua, Sobab, Nathan, & Sa¦lomon, Iibhar also and Elisua, Nepheg, and Iaphia, Elisama Eliada, and Eliaphalet. But whē the Philistines herde, that they had anoynted Dauid kyng ouer Israel, they came all vp to seke Dauid. And as soone as Da∣uid herde of it, he gat hym to an holde▪ And when the Philistines came, they layde them along in the valey of Raphaim. And Dauid asked counsayle of the Lorde, saynge: shall I go vp to the Philistines? Wylte thou delyuer them in to my handes? And the Lorde answe¦red vnto Dauid: Go vp, for I wyll delyuer the Philistines in to thy handes.

And Dauid came to the playne of Perazim [unspec D] & smote them there, and sayd: the Lorde hath deuyded myn enemyes asundre before me, as waters be deuided asundre. And therfore, the name of the place was called: the playne of Perazim: And there they lefte theyr ymages, and Dauid & his men toke them vp. And the Philistines came yet agayne••, & layde them selues in the valey of Rephaim. And when Dauid asked at the Lorde: ❀ (Shall I go vp agaynst the Philistynes? and vvylt thou delyuer them in to my hande?) He answered: Thou shalte not go vp: but compasse them on the backesyde, & come vpon them ouer agaynst the Peretrees. And whē thou herest the noyse of a thyng goyng in the top of the Peretrees then remoue. For then shall the Lorde go out before the, to smyte the hoost of the Philisti∣nes. And Dauid dyd as the Lorde had com∣maunded hym, & smote the Philistines from Geba, vntyll thou come to Gazer.

¶ The Arke is brought forth of the house of Abinadab. Uza is stryken and dyeth, Dauid daun••eth before it, & is therfore despysed of his wyfe Mithol.

CAPI. VI.

AGayne, Dauid gathered togyther all [unspec A] the chosen men of Israell, euen thyrtye thousande, & arose, and wente with all the folke that were with hym of the men of Iuda, to fet ☞ away from thence, the arke of God: whose name is called the name of the Lorde of hoostes that dwelleth vpon it, by∣twene the cherubyns. And they put the arke of god vpon a newe carte, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was at Gi∣bea. And Uza and Ahio the sonnes of Abina∣bab draue the newe carte.

And when they brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was at Gibea, w^t the Arke of God. Ahio went before the arke. And Da∣uid, and all the house of Israel playde before the Lorde in sundrye instrumentes made of Cedre wood, with harpes, Psalteries, Tym∣brelles, fedyls, and Symbals.

And when they came to Nachons threshe∣ynge [unspec B] floore, Uza put his hande to the arke of God, and helde it, for the oxen stombled. And the Lorde was wroth with Uza, & God smote hym in the same place ☞ for his faulte, and there he dyed before the arke of god. And Da¦uid was dyspleased, bycause the Lorde had smytten Uza. And the name of the place was called: The renfynge of Uza, vntyl this day. And Dauid was then afrayde of the Lorde, and sayde: Howe shall the arke of the Lorde come to me? And so Dauid wolde not bryng the Arke of the lorde vnto hym in to the citye of Dauid. but Dauid caryed it in to the house of Obeth Edom a Gethite. And the Arke of the lorde contynued in the house of Obeth Edom the Gethite, thre monethes, and the Lorde blessed Obeth Edom and al his hous∣holde. And one tolde kynge Dauid, how that the Lorde had blessed the house of Obeth E∣dom and all that perteyned vnto hym, by∣cause of the arke of God. And Dauid wente and brought the arke of God from the house of Obeth Edom, into the citie of Dauid with gladnes. ❀ (And there vvere vvich Dauid vii. sortes of dauncers, and calues for Sacrifyce.

And when they that bare the Arke of the lorde, had gone syxe spaces, he offred an axe, [unspec C] & a fat shepe. And Dauid ❀ (played on harpe strynges, and) daunsed before the Lorde with al his myght, and was gyrded with a lynnen Ephod. So Dauid & all the house of Israell brought the Arke ❀ (of the couenaunt) of the lorde, with showtyng & trompet blowynge. And it fortuned, that as the arke of the lorde came in to the citye of Dauid, Michol Sauls doughter loked thorowe a wyndew, and saw kynge Dauid sprynge and daunce before the lorde, and she despysed hym in her herte. And when they brought in the arke of the Lorde, they set it in his place, euen in the myddes of the tabernacle that Dauid had pytched for it.

And Dauid offered burntofferynges and peace offerynges before the Lorde. And as soone as Dauid had made an ende of offryng burntoffrynges & peaceoffrynges, he blessed the people in the name of the Lorde of hoost{is} and gaue amonge all the folke, euen among the hole multitude of Israell, as well to the women as men, to euery one a Cake of bread and a pece of flesshe, and a flacket of drynke. And so al the peple departed euery one to his [unspec D] house. Then Dauid returned to ☞ blesse his houshold. And Michol the doughter of Saul came out to mete Dauid, & sayd: O howe glo¦rious was the kyng of Israel this day, which was vncouered to daye, in the eyes of the maydens of his seruauntes, as yf it had ben a lyght brayned felowe vncouered? And Da∣uid sayd vnto Michol, I thoughe to daunce before the Lorde, which chose me rather then thy father, and all his kyn, & cōmaunded me to be ruler ouer all the people of the Lorde, euen ouer Israel, And therfore wyll I playe before the Lorde. And wyll be yet more vyle then so, and wyl be meke in myne owne syght & of the very same mayde seruauntes whiche thou hast spoken of, shal I be had in honour. Therfore Michol the doughter of Saul had no chylde, vnto the day of her death.

¶ Dauid wolde buylde God an house: but is forbydden of God.

CAPI. VII.

IT fortuned, that as the kynge sat in his [unspec A] house (after that the lorde had gyuen hym rest rounde aboute from all his enemyes) he sayd vnto Nathan the prophet: beholde, I dwell nowe in an house of Cedar trees, but ☞ the arke of God dwelleth within the cur∣teyne. And Nathan sayde vnto the kynge: go and do all that is in thyne herte, for the lorde is with the. And it fortuned the same nyghte that the worde of the Lorde came vnto Na∣than, saynge: go and tell my seruaunt Dauid, thus sayth the Lorde: shalte thou buylde me an house to dwell in? For I haue not dwelte in any house, synce the tyme that I brought the chyldrē of Israel out of Egypt, vnto this day: but haue walked, in a tent & tabernacle. In al the places wherin I haue walked with all the chyldren of Israell, spake I one worde with any of the Tribes of Israell (☞ synce I cōmaunded the Iudgis to fede my people Israel) sayenge: Why buylde ye not me an house of Cedar trees?

Nowe therfore, so saye vnto my seruaunt [unspec B] Dauid, thus sayth the Lorde of hoostes. I toke the from the shepe coote (as thou waste folowynge shepe) that thou myghtest be ru∣ler ouer my people Israell. And I was with the in all that thou wentest to, and haue de∣stroyed all thyne enemyes out of thy syghte, and haue made the a great name, lyke vnto the name of the greate men that are in the worlde. And therfore, I wyll appoynte a place for my people Israell, and wyll plante it, that they maye dwelle in a place

of theyr owne, & moue no more, neyther shall wycked people trouble them any more, as they dyd at the begynnynge: synce the tyme that I set Iudges ouer my people Israell, & I wyl gyue the rest from all thyne enemyes. And the Lorde telleth the, that he wyll make the an house. And when thy dayes be fulfyl∣led, thou shalte ☞ slepe with thy fathers, and I wyll set vp thy seede after the, whiche shall pracede out of thy body, and wyll stablysshe his kyngdom. He shall buylde an house for my name, and I wyll stablysshe the seate of his kyngdom foreuer. I wyll be his father and he shall be my son: If he synne, I wyll chasten hym ☞ with suche a rod as men be chastened with, and with suche plages as the [unspec C] chyldren of men be plaged with. But my mer¦cye shall not departe awaye from hym, as I toke it from Saull, whom I put downe be∣fore the. And thyne house and thy kyngdom shall endure without ende after the, & thy seate shall be stablysshed foreuer.

Accordyng to all these wordes, and accor∣dynge to all this vision, byd Nathan speake vnto Dauid. Then wente Dauid in, and set hym downe before the lorde, and sayde: what am I, O lorde God? & what is my ☞ house? that thou shuldest haue brought me thus far forth? And this was yet a small thyng in thy syght: O lorde god, but thou hast spoken also of thy seruauntes house for a great whyle to come. For ☞ ❀ this is the vse of mā, O lorde god. And what can Dauid say more vnto the For thou Lorde God knowest thy seruaunt. Euen for thy wordes sake and ☞ accordyng to thyne owne herte hast thou done all these great thynges, to make them knowen vnto thy seruaunt. Wherfore thou arte great, O lorde God: for there is none lyke the, ney∣ther is there any God saue thou, accordynge to all that we haue herde with our eares. [unspec D]

And what one people in the earth is lyke thy people Israel, ❀ whose God, went & de∣lyuered them, that they myght be his people, and that he myght make hym a name, and to shewe great and terrible thyng{is} in the earth, for thy people whiche thou redemedst to the oute of Egypte, euen the people with theyr ☞ goddes. For thou hast ordeyned thy peo∣ple Israell, to be thy people foreuer.

And thou Lorde arte become theyr God. And nowe (Lorde God) the worde that thou hast spoken concernyng thy seruaunt & his house make it good foreuer, and do as thou haste sayd. For so shall thy name be magnified for¦euer, of men that shall say: the lorde of hoost{is} is the god of Israel: and the house of thy ser∣uaunt Dauid shall be stablysshed before the. For thou O Lorde of hoostes, God of Israel hast tolde in the eare of thy seruaunt saynge. ❀ I wyll buylde the an house. And therfore hath thy seruaunt foūde in his herte, to pray this prayer vnto the. Therfore nowe lorde God, thou arte God, and thy worde must be true, thou that hast tolde this goodnes vnto thy seruaunt. And nowe go to, and blesse the house of thy seruaunt, that it maye contynue foreuer before the. For thou Lorde God hast spoken it, & with thy blessyng shall the house of thy seruaunt be blessed foreuer.

¶ Dauid ouercōmeth the Philistines.

CAPI. VIII.

AFter this it fortuned that Dauid smote [unspec A] the Philistines, and subdued them, and toke the brydell of bondage out of the hande of the Philistines. And he smote the Moabites and ☞ measured them with a lyne, and cast them downe to the grounde. ☞ Euen with two lynes measured he them whom he slue, and the length of one lyne sa∣ued he a lyue. And so became the Moabites Dauids seruauntes, and payde tribute.

Dauid smote also, Hadadezar the sonne of Rehob kyng of Zoba as he went to recouer his brother at the ryuer Pherat. And Dauid toke a thousand and seuen hundred horsmen of his hoost, and twentie thousande fote men and destroyed all his charettes, reseruynge onely one hundred of them.

And when the Sirians of Damascon came [unspec B] to socoure Hadadezer kyng of Zoba, Dauid slue of the Sirians two and twentye thou∣sande men, and put souldyours in Siria Da¦mascon. And the Siriens became seruaun∣tes to Dauid, payenge tribute. And thus the Lorde saued Dauid, in al that he went vnto.

And Dauid toke the sheldes of golde that belonged to the seruauntes of Hadadezer, & brought them to Ierusalem. And out of Be∣ta and Berothai (cityes of Hadadezer) dyd Dauid brynge excedynge moche brasse. ❀ (vvherof Salomon made all the brasen vessell in the temple, and the brasen Lauatory, and the pyllers, and the aulter.)

When Thoi kyng of Hamath herde how [unspec C] Dauid had smytten all the hoost of Hadade∣zer, he sent Ioram his sonne vnto kyng Da∣uid, to salute hym with peace, and ☞ to blesse hym, bycause he had fought agaynst Hada∣dezer, and beaten hym: For Thoi had great warre w^t Hadadezer, which (Ioram) brought with hym vessels of syluer, vessels of golde, and vessels of Brasse: whiche brasse Kynge Dauid dyd dedicate vnto the lorde, with the

syluer and golde that he had consecrated of all nacyons, whiche he subdued: of Sirya of Moabites, and of the chyldren of Ammō, of the Philistines, & of Amalek, & of the spoyle of Hadadezer son of Rehob kynge of Zoba. And Dauid gat hym a name after that he re¦turned [unspec D] and had smyten of the Siriens in the valey of Salte. xviii. M. men. And he put kepers in Edō, euen thorowout al Edom put he soudyours, & al they of Edom became Da¦uids seruauntes. And the Lorde kept Dauid whatsoeuer he toke in hande. And Dauid reygned ouer all Israell, and executed ryght and Iustice vnto all his people. And Ioab the sonne of Zaruia was ouer the hooste, and Iehosaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder. And Sadoch the son of Ahitob, and Ahime∣lech the son of Abiathar were the Preestes, & Saraia was the Scrybe. And ❀ Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada was ouer ☞ the Cre∣thites and the Phelethites: & Dauids sonnes were cheyfe rulers.

¶ Dauid restoreth all the feldes of Saull to Miphiboseth the sonne of Ionathas.

CAPI. IX.

ANd Dauid sayde: is there yet any man [unspec A] lefte of the house of Saull? For I wyll shewe hym mercye for Ionathas fake. And there was of the housholde of Saul a seruaunt whose name was Ziba. And when they had called hym vnto Dauid, the kynge sayde vnto hym: arte thou Ziba? He sayde: thy seruaunt is he. And the kynge sayde: re∣mayneth there yet any man of the house of Saull, whome I maye shewe the mercye of God vpon? Ziba answered the kynge: Io∣nathas hath yet a son: whiche is lame on his feete. The kynge sayde vnto hym: where is [unspec B] he? Ziba sayde vnto the kynge: beholde: he is in the house of Machir the son of Amiell of Lodeber. Then kynge Dauid sent, & fet hym out of the house of Machir the son of Amiel, out of Lodeber. Nowe when Miphiboseth the son of Ionathas, the sonne of Saull was come vnto Dauid, he fell on his face, & dyd reuerence. And the kyng sayd: Miphiboseth? He answered: Beholde thy seruaunte. Dauid sayde vnto hym: feare not, for I wyll surely shewe the kyndnesse for Ionathas thy Fa∣thers sake, and wyll restore the all the feldes of Saull thy father, & thou shalt eate breade [unspec C] on myne owne table contynually. And he bowed hymselfe, and sayde: what is thy ser∣uaunt, that thou shuldest vouchesafe to loke vpon soche a deade dog as I am? Then the kynge called vnto Ziba Sauls yonge man, and sayde vnto hym: I haue gyuen vnto thy maysters sonne, all that perteyned to Saull and to all his house. Se therfore that thou, and thy Sonnes and thy seruauntes tyll the lande, and brynge in, that thy maysters sonne maye haue foode to cate. But Miphi∣boseth thy maysters sonne shall eate breade alwaye vpon my table. For Ziba had fyftene sonnes, and twentye seruauntes.

Then sayde Ziba vnto the kynge: Accor∣dynge [unspec D] to all that my Lorde the Kynge hath commaunded his seruaunte, so shall thy ser∣uaunt do. Well (sayde the kynge) Miphi∣boseth shal eate vpon my table, as one of the kynges sonnes. Miphiboseth had a son that was yonge, named Micha, and all that dwel¦led in the house of Ziba were serua••ntes vn∣to Miphiboseth. And Miphiboseth dwelt in Ierusalem, for he dyd eate euer at the kyng{is} table, and was lame on bothe his feete.

¶ The messengers of Dauid are vyllaynously ••ntreated of the kynge of Moab.

CAPI. X.

IT happened after this, that the kynge of [unspec A] the chyldren of Ammon dyed, and Hanon his son reygned in his steade. Then sayde Dauid: I wyll shewe kyndnesse vnto Hanon the sonne of Nahas, as his father shewed kyndnesse vnto me. And Dauid sent to com∣forte hym by the hande of his seruauntes ouer ❀ (the death of) his father. And Dauids seruauntes came into the lande of the Chyl∣dren of Ammon, and the Lordes of the chyl∣dren of Ammō sayd vnto Hanon theyr lorde▪ thynkest thou that Dauid dothe honour thy father, that he hath sent confortours to the? Hath not Dauid rather sent his seruauntes vnto the, to searche the Citye, and to spye ▪ out, and to ouerthrowe it? Wherfore, Hanon toke Dauids seruauntes, and shaued of the one halfe of euery mannes beerde, and cut of theyr garmentes in the mydle, euen harde to the buttockes of them, and sent them away. When they tolde it vnto Dauid, he sent to mete them (for they were men excedyngly a shamed) and the kynge sayd: ••arye at Ierico vntyll your beerdes be growen, and then t••∣turne. [unspec B] And when the chyldren of Ammō saw that they stancke in the syght of Dauid, they sent and hyred the Siryans of the house of Rehob, and the Sirians of Zoba. x••. M. foote men, and of kynge Maacha a thousand men and of Istob twelue thousande men. And when Dauid herde of it, he sent Ioab and al the hooste of stronge men. And the Chyldren of Ammon came out, and set them in araye at the entrynge in of the gate, and the Siri∣ans of Zobah, & Rehob, Istob, and Maacah

were by themselues in the felde. When Io∣ab sawe that the front of the battayle was a∣gaynst hym before and behynde, he chose of all the fresshe yonge men of Israell, and put them in araye agaynst the Sirians. And the rest of the people he deliuered into the hande of Abisai his brother, that he might put them in araye agaynst the chyldren of Ammon.

And he sayde, yf the Siryans be stronger [unspec C] then I, thou shalte helpe me. But yf the chyl∣dren of Ammon be to stronge for the, I wyll come and succoure the. Therfore quyte the lyke a man, and let vs stande styffe for oure people, and for the cityes of oure God. And the Lorde do that which is good in his owne eyes. And Ioab proceded forth, & the people that was with hym, to fyght with the Siri∣ans: but they fled before hym. And when the chyldren of Ammon sawe that the Sirians were fled, then fled they also before Abisat / & entred into the citye. And so Ioab returned from the Chyldren of Ammon, and came to Ierusalem. And when the Siryans sawe that they were put to the worse before Israel, they gathered them togyther. And Hadade∣zer sent, & brought out the Sirians that were beyonde the ryuer.

And they came with theyr armye, and So∣bah [unspec D] the captayne of the hooste of Hadadezer went before them. And when it was shewed Dauid, he gathered all Israel togyther, and passed ouer Iordane, & came to Helam: And the Sirians set themselues in aray agaynst Dauid, and fought with hym: and the Siri∣ans fled before Israel. And Dauid destroyed seuen hundred charettes of the Sirians, and fourtye thousande horsemen, and smote So∣bah the captayne of theyr hooste, whiche also dyed there. And when all the kynges (that were seruauntes to Hadadezer) sawe, that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with them, & serued them. And so the Sirians feared to helpe the Chyldren of Ammon any more.

¶ The aduoutry of Dauid with Bethsabe, the wy••e of Urias. Urias is gyl••fully s••••yne.

CAPI. XI.

ANd it came to passe that (after the yere [unspec A] was expyred) in the tyme when kyng{is} ☞ vse to go forth to battayle. Dauid sent Ioab and his seruantes with hym, and all Israell, whiche destroyed the Chyldren of Ammon, and beseyged Raba. But Dauid taryed styll at Ierusalem. And it chaunced in an euenynge that Dauid arose out of his bed, & walked vpon the roofe of the kynges palace, and from the roofe he sawe a woman wasshynge herselfe, & the woman was ve∣ry bewtyfull to loke vpon. And he sent to en∣quyre what woman it shulde be, saynge: is it not Bethsabe the doughter of Eliam, & wyfe to Urias the Hethite? And Dauid sent mes∣sengers, & fet her. And she came in vnto hym & he laye with her. And ❀ (immediatly) she was ☞ purifyed from her vnclennesse, & re∣turned vnto her house. And the woman con∣ceyued, [unspec B] and sent and tolde Dauid, and sayd: I am with chylde. And Dauid sent to Ioab, (sayenge:) sende me Urias the Hethite. And Ioab sent Urias to Dauid. And whē Urias was come vnto hym. Dauid demaunded of hym: howe Ioab dyd, & howe the peple fared, & how the men of war prospered. And Dauid sayd to Urias: go downe to thyne house, and washe thy feete. And Urias departed out of the kyng{is} palace, & there folowed hym a ser∣uice from the kyng{is} table. But Urias slepte at the dore of the kyng{is} palace withal the ser¦uaūtes of his lorde, & went not downe to his house. Whiche when they had tolde Dauid (sayenge: Urias went not downe into his house). Dauid sayde vnto Urias: Camest y^• not frō the iourney? why dydest thou not go downe then vnto thyne house? Urias answe∣red Dauid: the arke & Israell & Iuda dwell in pauylyons, & my lorde Ioab & the seruaū∣tes of my lorde lye vpon the flat earth: & shal I then go into myne house, to eate, and to drynke, & lye with my wyfe? ☞ By the lyfe & by the lyfe of thy soule, I wyll not do this thynge. And Dauid sayd vnto Urias: tarye here this day also, & to morowe I wyll let the departe. And so Urias abode in Ierusalem that day, & the morow. And when Dauid had called hym, he dyd eate & drynke before hym, & he made hym dronke. And at euen he went out to lye on his couche with the seruauntes [unspec C] of his lorde, but went not downe to his house On the morow Dauid wrote a letter to Ioab & sent it by the hande of Urias. And he wrote thus in the letter, sayenge: put Urias in the forefront of the sharper battayle, and come ye backe from hym, that he maye be smytten and dye. So when Ioab beseyged the citye / he assygned Urias vnto a place, where he wyst that stronge men were. And the men of the citye came out, & fought with Ioab. And there were certeyne ouerthrowen of the peple and of the seruauntes of Dauid, and Urias the Hethite dyed also. Then Ioab sent, and tolde Dauid all the thynges concernyng the war, & charged the messenger, sayenge: when thou hast made an ende of tellynge the mat∣ters of the warre vnto the kynge, yf he begyn

to fume, and saye vnto the: wherfore appro∣ched ye so nygh vnto the citye, when ye dyd fyght? wyst ye not that they wolde hurle and [unspec D] shute from the wall? Who smote Abimelech sonne of ☞ Iereboseth? dyd not a woman cast a pece of a mylstone vpon hym from of the wall, and he dyed in Thebes? Why went ye nygh the wall? then saye thou? thy seruaūt Urias the Hethite is deade also. So the mes¦senger went, and came, and shewed Dauid al that Ioab had sent hym for, and the messen∣ger sayde vnto Dauid: the men preuayled a∣gaynst vs, & came out vnto vs into the felde, and we ❀ (vvith violence) stacke vnto them, euen vnto the entrynge of the gate. And the shuters shotte from the walles, vpon thy ser∣uauntes, and some of the kyng{is} seruauntes be deade. And thy seruaunte Urias the He∣thite is deade also. And Dauid sayd vnto the messenger: thus shalt thou saye vnto Ioab: let not that thynge trouble the. For ❀ (the chaunce of vvarre is dyuerse, and) the swerde deuoureth one as well as another: make thy battayle more stronge agaynst the Citye, to ouerthrowe it, & se that thou courage Ioab. And when the wyfe of Urias herde that her husbande was deade, she mourned for hym. And when the mournynge was past, Dauid sent and fet her to his house, and she became his wyfe, & bare hym a son. But this thynge that Dauid dyd, dyspleased the Lorde.

¶ Dauid is reproued for the slaughter of Urias. The ••hy••••s conceyued in aduoutrye dyeth. After it / is Salomon borne.

CAPI. XII.

ANd the Lorde sent Nathan vnto Da∣uid. [unspec A] And he came vnto hym and tolde hym: there were two men in one citye, the one ryche, and the other poore. The ryche man had excedynge many shepe, and oxen. But the poore had nothynge saue one lytle shepe, whiche he had bought, and norysshed vp. And it grewe vp with hym, and with his chyldrē also, and dyd eate of his owne meat, and dranke of his owne cup, and slept in his bosome, and was vnto him as his doughter. And there came a straunger vnto the ryche man. And he coulde not fynde in his herte to take of his owne shepe, & of his owne oxen / to dresse for the straunger that was come vn∣to hym. But toke the poore mannes shepe / & dressed it for the man that was come to hym.

And Dauid was excedyng wrothe with [unspec B] the man, and sayde to Nathan: as surely as the lorde lyueth, the man that hath done this thynge is ☞ the chylde of death. He shall restore the lambe foure folde, bycause he dyd this thynge, and had no petye.

And Nathan sayde to Dauid: thou arte the man. Thus saythe the Lorde God of Israel / I anoynted the kynge ouer Israell, and ryd the out of the hande of Saull. I gaue the thy maysters house, and ☞ thy maysters wyues into thy bosome, and gaue the, the house of Israell and of Iuda, and myght (yf that had ben to lytle) haue gyuen the so moch more. Wherfore then hast thou despysed the commaundement of the Lorde, to do wycked¦nesse in his syght? thou hast kylde Urias the Hethite with the swerde, and hast taken his wyfe to thy wyfe, and hast sleyne hym with the swerde of the chyldren of Ammon.

Nowe therfore, the swerde shall neuer de∣parte [unspec C] from thyne house, bycause thou hast despysed me, and taken the wyfe of Urias the Hethite, to be thy wyfe. Wherfore thus sayeth the Lorde: beholde, I wyll styrre vp euyll agaynst the, euen out of thyne owne house, and wyl take thy wyues before thyne eyes, and gyue them vnto thy nyghboure, & he shall lye with thy wyues ☞ in the syght of the sonne. For thou dydest it secretly. But I wyll do this thynge before all Israell, and in the open sonne lyght.

And Dauid sayd vnto Nathan I haue synned agaynst the lorde. And Nathan sayd [unspec D] vnto Dauid: the Lorde also hath put awaye thy syn, thou shalt not dye. Howbeit, bycause in doyng this dede, thou hast gyuen the ene∣myes of the lorde a cause to rayle, the chylde that is borne vnto the, shall surelye dye. And Nathan departed vnto his house. And the lorde stroke the chylde that Urias wyfe bare vnto Dauid, & it syckened sore. Dauid ther∣fore besought God for the chylde, and fasted and went in, & laye all nyght vpon the earth. And the elders of his house arose and went to hym, to take hym vp from the earth. But he wolde not, neyther dyd he eate meat with them. And it happened the seuenth daye, that [unspec E] the chylde dyed. And the seruaūtes of Dauid durst not tell hym, that the chylde was dead. For they sayd: beholde, whyle the chylde was yet alyue, we spake vnto hym, and he wolde not herken vnto oure voyce. Howe wyll he then vexe hymselfe, yf we tell hym: that the chylde is deade? But Dauid seynge his ser∣uauntes whysperynge, perceyued, that the chylde was deade, and Dauid sayde vnto his seruauntes: is the chylde deade? They sayde: yea. And Dauid arose from the earth, & was∣shed, & anoynted hymselfe, & chaunged his apparell, & came into the house of the lorde / and worshypped, & afterwarde came to his owne house and bad that they shulde ☞ set

breade before hym, & he dyd cate. Then sayd [unspec F] his seruauntes vnto hym: what thynge is this, that thou h••••st done? Thou dyddest fast and wepe for the chylde, whyle it was a lyue, and as soone as it was deade, thou dyddest ryse vp, and eate meate. He sayde, whyle the chylde was yet alyue, I fasted & wepte. For this I thought: who can tell whyther God wyll haue mercye on me, that the chylde may Iyue. But nowe, seynge it is deade, wher∣fore shulde I fast? can I bryng hym agayne any more? I shall go to hym, rather then he shall come agayne to me. And Dauid comfor¦ted Bethsabe his wyfe, & went in vnto her, & laye with her, & she bare a son, and called his name Salomon, & the lorde loued hym. And he sent by the hande of Nathan the pro∣phete, and called his name Iedidia, of the lordes behalfe. Ioab fought agaynst Raba the citye of the chyldren of Ammon, and toke the ☞ citye of the kyngdom: And Ioab sente messengers to Dauid sayenge: I haue made [unspec G] assaute to Ra••••, and haue taken ☞ the citye with waters. Nowe therfore gather the rest of the people togyther, and beseyge the citye, that thou mayest take it: leest I take it, and call it after my name. And Dauid gathered all the people togyther, & went agaynst Ra∣ba, & beseyged it, & gat it. And he toke theyr kynges crowne from of his heade, whiche wayed an hundred weyght of golde, and in it were precyous stoones. And ☞ it was set on Dauids head. And he brought out the spoyle of the citye in excedynge greate abundance. And he caryed out the peple thas was therin and ☞ put them vpon sawes and vpon yron harowes, & vpon ar̄es of yron, & thrust them in to the Tylekele. Thus dyd he with all the cityes of the chyldren of Ammon. And so Da∣uid & all the people returned to Ierusalem.

¶ Amnen Dauids sonne desyleth his systet Thamae. Absalom therfore hylleth Amnon.

CAPI. XIII.

AFter this it chaūced that Absalom the [unspec A] son of Dauid had a fayre syster, named Thamar, whome Amnon the sonne of Dauid loued. And he was so fore vered, that he fell sycke for the loue of his syster Tha∣mar: for she was a virgyn, and he thought it herde for hym to haue his purpose of her. But Amnon had a frende, called Ionadab / the sonne of Simeah Dauids brother: and ☞ Ionadab was a very wyse man. And he sayde vnto hym: howe cōmeth it, that thou beynge the kyng{is} sonne, arte thus consumed euery daye? Wylt thou not tell me? Amnon answered hym: I loue Thamar my brother Absaloms syster. Ionadab sayde vnto hym: laye the downe on thy bed, & make thy selfe sycke. And when thy father is come to se the / saye vnto hym: Oh lette my syster Thamar come, & gyue me meat, & dresse it in my syght, that I maye se it and eate it of her hande.

And so Amnon laye downe, & made hym [unspec B] selfe sycke. And when the kynge was come to se hym, Amnon sayd vnto hym: Oh let Tha∣mar my syster come, and make me a couple of frytters in my syght, that I maye eate of her hande. Then Dauid sent home to Tha∣mar, sayenge: go nowe to thy brother Am∣nons house, & dresse hym meat. So Thamar went to her brother Amnons house, & he was layde downe. And she toke floure, and made paste, and dressed frytters in his syght, & dyd bake them, & toke a platter, & powred them out before hym, but he wolde not cate. And Amnon sayde: Haue out all men from me. And they went all out from hym. And Am∣non sayde vnto Thamar: brynge the meate into the chambrē, that I maye eate of thyne hande. And Thamar toke the frytters which she had made, & brought them into the cham¦bre to Amnō her brother. And when she had set them before hym, to cate, he toke her, and sayde vnto her: come lye with me my syster.

And she answered hym: nay my brother / do [unspec C] not force me, for there hath no such thyng ben done in Israell: do not thou this ab ho∣minacyon. For whyther shall I be able to go with my shame? And thou shalt be as one of the fooles in Israel. O speake vnto the kyng and he shall not denye me vnto the. Now be••t he wolde not herken vnto her voyce but toke her, and forced her, and laye with her. And then Amnon hated her excedynglye: so that the hate wher with he hated her, was greater then the loue with which he before loued her. And Amnon sayde vnto her: vp, and get the hence. She answered hym. Thou hast no cause. This euyll that thou puttest me away is greater then the other that thou dydest vn to me. Neuerthelesse he wolde not heare her, but called his boye that serued hym, & sayde: put awaye this woman from me, & bolte the dore after her. And she had a kyrtell of dy∣uerse colours vpon her: for with soche were the kynges doughters (that were virgyns) apparelled. Then his seruaunt brought her [unspec D] out, and locked the dore after her. And Tha∣mar toke and put asshes on her heade, & rent her gaye kyrtell that was on her, & la•• de her hande on her heade, and so went, and as she went, cryed. And Absalom her brother sayde vnto her: hath Amnon thy brother ben with

the? Now yet be styll my syster: he is thy bro∣ther. Let not this thynge greue thyne herte. And so thamar remayned desolate in her bro¦ther Absaloms house. But whē kyng Dauid herde of all these thyng{is}, he was very wroth. ❀ (And he vvolde not vexe the spiryte of Am∣non his son for he loued hym, bycause he vvas his fyrst borne.) And Absalom sayd vnto his brother Amnon neyther good nor bad. Nowe be it Absalom hated Amnon bycause he had [unspec E] forced his syster Thamar. And it happened after two yeare, that Absalom had shepe shearers in the playne of Nazor, besyde the trybe of Ephraim, and bad all the kynges sonnes, and came to the kynge, & sayde: be∣holde, thy seruaunt hath shepe shearers, let the kyng with his seruaūtes come to thy ser∣uaunt. The kynge answered Absalom: naye my sonne. We wyll not go al, nor be charge∣able vnto the. And Absalom laye sore vpon hym: howbeit he wolde not go, but blessed hym. Then sayde Absalom: Yf thou wylt not come, then let my brother Amnō go with vs. And the kynge answered hym: what nedeth it, that he go with the? But Bvsalom made soche instance that he let Amnon, and all the kyng{is} chyldren go with hym. Now had Ab∣salom cōmaunded his yonge men sayenge: marke when Amnons herte is mery w^t wyne and when I byd you smyte Amnon, then kyl hym: & feare not, haue not I bydden you? be holde therfore, & play the men. And the yong [unspec F] men of Absalom dyd vnto Amnon euen as Absalom had cōmaunded. And all the kyng{is} sonnes arose, & euery man gat hym vp, vpon his Mule, & fled. And it fortuned, that whyle they were yet in the waye, tydynges came to Dauid sayenge: Absalom hath steyne all the kynges sonnes, & ther is none lefte alyue. Then Dauid arose, & tare his garmentes / & laye alonge on the earth: & all his seruaun∣tes stode by with theyr clothes rent. And Io∣nadah the son of Simeah Dauids brother / answered, and sayd: let not my lorde suppose that they haue sleyne all the yonge men / the kynges sonnes, saue Amnon onely is deade. For that hath ben determyned in Absaloms mynde, sence he forced his syster Thamar. Now therfore, let not my lorde the kyng take [unspec G] the thynge so greuouslye, to thynke that all the kyng{is} sonnes are dead, but Amnon only is deade. But Absalom fled. And the yonge man that kepte the watche, lyfte vp his eyes and loked: And beholde, there came moche peple by a way that was behynde his backe / alonge by an hylles syde. And Ionadab sayd vnto the kynge: beholde, the kynges sonnes come: As thy seruaunte sayd, so it is. And as soone as he had lefte speakynge: beholde, the kynges sonnes came, & lyfte vp theyr voyces and wepte. The kynge also and all his ser∣uauntes wepte excedynglye. But Absalom escaped, & went to Thalmai the son of Ami∣hur kynge of Gesur. And Dauid mourned for his son euery daye. And so Absalom esca∣ped & went to Gesur, & was there thre yeres. And kynge Dauid desyred to go forth vnto Absalom: For where as Amnon was deade / he was comforted ouer hym.

¶ By the wysdom of the woman of Thekoa, Absalom is called.

CAPI. XIIII.

IOab the sonne of Zaruia perceyued, that [unspec A] the kynges herte was towarde Absalom / he sent to Thekoa, and fet thence a wyse woman, and sayd vnto her: fayne thy selfe to be a mourner, and put on mournynge appa∣rell. And anoynt not thy selfe with oyle. But be as a woman that had longe ••yme mour∣ned for some deade bodye. And come to the kynge, and speake of this maner vnto hym. And so Ioab taught her what she shulde say And when the woman of Thekoa had fall•••••• on her face to the grounde, and done obey∣saunce: she sayde vnto the kynge: helpe me O kynge. The kynge sayde vnto her: what [unspec B] ayleth the? She answered: I am a wedowe, and myne husbande is deade. And thy hand mayde had two sonnes, and they two fought togyther in the felde, (where was no man to go bitwene them) but the one smote the other and slewe hym. And beholde, the hoole kyn∣red is rysen agaynst thy handmayde, & they sayde: delyuer vs hym that smote his bro∣ther: that we maye kyll hym ☞ for the soule of his brother whome he slew. We wyll de∣stroye the heyre also. And so they shal quench my sparkle which is lefte, that he shall styrte vp (to my husbande) neyther name nor yssue vpon the earth. And the kynge sayde vnto [unspec C] the woman: go home to thyne house, I wyll gyue a charge for the. And the woman of Thekoa sayde vnto the kynge: My Lorde O kynge, this trespasse be on me, and on my fathers house, and the Kynge & his seate be gyltlesse. And the kynge sayde: yf any man saye ought vnto the, brynge hym to me, and he shall hurte the no more. Then sayde she: ☞ let the kyng remembre his lorde god, that the aduenger of the blood gather not on hea∣pes togyther to destroye, and that they sleye not my son. And he answered: as sure as the Lorde lyueth, there shall not one heere of thy son fall to the earth.

The woman sayde: let thyne handmayde [unspec D] speake one worde more vnto my Lorde the kynge. And he sayde: saye on. The woman sayde: Wherfore then hast thou determyned suche a thynge agaynst the people of God? For the kynge doth speake this thyng as one which is fautye, that he shulde not fet home agayne his banysshed. For we must nedes dye, & peryshe as water spylt on the ground / whiche can not be gathered vp ☞ agayne: Neyther doth God spare any soule. Let the kyng therfore fynde the meanes, that his ba∣nysshed be not vtterlye expelled from hym. Nowe therfore am I come, to speake of this thynge vnto the kynge my Lorde. For they that be of the people, wyll feare me. And thy handmayde sayd: Nowe wyll I speake vnto the kynge, peraduenture the kynge wyll per∣fourme the request of his handmayde.

And the kyng shal heare his handmayd / [unspec E] to delyuer her out of the hande of the man, that wolde haue destroyed me, & also my son out of the enheritaunce of god. And thyne handmayde sayd: the worde of my Lorde the kynge shal nowe be cōfortable. For my lorde the kynge is as an angell of god, in hearyng of good & bad: therfore the Lorde thy god be with the. Then the kynge answered, & sayde vnto the woman: hyde not from me (I praye the) the thyng that I shall aske the. And the woman sayde: Let my lorde the kynge nowe saye on. And the kynge sayde: Is not ☞ the hande of Ioab with the in al this matter? the woman answered, & sayde: As sure as thy soule lyueth my lorde kynge, there is els no man (on the ryght hande nor on the lefte) but as my lorde the kynge hath spoken, thy ser∣uaunt Ioab: He bad me, and he put all these wordes in the mouth of thyne handmayde.

For to the intent that I shulde alter my com∣municacyon, hath thy seruaunt Ioab done this thynge. And my Lorde is wyse, euen as an angel of god, to vnderstande all thynges that are in the earth. And the kynge sayd vn∣to Ioab: beholde, I am content to do this thynge. Go, & ••et home the chylde Absalom agayne. And Ioab fell to the grounde on his [unspec F] face, & bowed hym selfe, & ☞ blessed the kyng And Ioab sayd: now thy seruaunt knoweth / that I haue founde grace in thy syght (my lorde O kynge) in that the kynge hath ful∣fylled the request of his seruaunt. And so Io∣ab arose, & went to Gesur, & brought Absalō to Ierusalem. And the kynge sayde: let hym turne to his owne house, and not se my face. And so Absalom returned to his owne house & sawe not the kyng{is} face. But in all Israell there was not so goodlye a man as Absalom for he was very beautyfull: in so moche that frō the sole of his fole to the top of his heade, there was no blemesh in hym. And when he shaued his heade (for at euery yeres ende he shaued it, bicause the heere was heuy on him & must nedes shaue it) the heere of his head wayed. CC. syeles after the kynges weyght. And this Absalō had thre sonnes borne hym [unspec G] & one doughter, named Thamar, which was a fayre woman to loke vpō. So Absalō dwelt two yere in Ierusalem, & sawe not the kyng{is} face. Therfore Absalō sent for Ioab, to haue sent him to the kyng. But he wolde not come to hym. And when he sent agayne, he wolde not come. Therfore he sayd vnto his seruaū∣tes: behold, Ioab hath a parcell of lande fast by my place, and he hath barlye therin. Go / & set it on fyre. And Absaloms seruauntes set it on fyre. ❀ And Ioabs seruauntes came vvith theyr garmentes rent, and sayde. Absaloms ser∣uauntes haue burnt the pece of lande vvith fyre.

Then Ioab arose & came to Absalom vn∣to his house, & sayd vnto hym: wherfore hath thy seruaūtes burnt my felde with fyre. And Absalom answered Ioab: beholde, I sent for the, desyrynge the to come, bycause I wolde haue sent the to the kynge, for to saye: wher∣fore am I come from Gesur. It had ben bet∣ter for me / to haue ben there styll. Now ther∣fore wolde I se the kynges face. And yf there be any trespasse in me, kyll thou me. And so Ioab came to the kynge, & tolde hym: whiche when he had sent for Absalō, he came to the kynge, and fel to the grounde on his face be∣fore hym. And the kynge kyssed Absalom.

¶ Absalom maketh insurrection agaynst his father. Dauid is fayne to flee for feare of hym.

CAPI. XV.

AFter this it fortuned, that Absalom gat [unspec A] hym charettes & horses, & fyftye men to run before hym. And he rose vp earlye in the mornyng, & stode in the place of the en∣trynge in of the gate. And euery man that had any matter & came to the kyng for iudge¦ment, hym dyd Absalō call vnto hym, & sayd: of what citye arte thou? He answered, thy ser∣uaunt is of one of the trybes of Israell. And Absalom sayde vnto hym: se, thy matter is good & ryghteous, but there is no man de∣puted of the kynge to heare the. Absalō sayde moreouer: Oh, that I were made iudge in the lande, that euery man whiche hath any plee and matter in the lawe, myght come to me, & that I myght do hym Iustice? And whē any man came nygh to hym, and dyd hym obey∣saunce, he put forth his hande & toke hym to

hym, & kyssed hym. And on this maner dyd [unspec B] Absalom to all Israell that came to the kyng for Iudgement, and ☞ he stale the hertes of the men of Israel. And ☞ after fourtye yeres it fortuned that Absalō sayd vnto the kynge: let me go nowe ☞ to Hebron, & pay my vowe whiche I haue vowed vnto the lorde: for thy seruaunt vowed a vowe (when I was in Gesur in the lande of Siria) sayenge: yf the lorde shall brynge me agayne to Ierusalem / I wyll serue the Lorde. And the kynge sayde vnto hym: go in peace. And so he arose, and went to Hebron. But Absalō sent spyes tho∣rowout all the trybes of Israell sayenge: as soone as ye heare the voyce of the trompet blowe, ye shall saye: Absalom reygneth kyng in Hebron. And w^t Absalom went. CC. men [unspec C] out of Ierusalem, that were called. And they went with pure hertes, not knowyng of any thynge. And Absalom sent also for Ahitho∣phell the Gilonite Dauids coūseller, that he shulde come out of his citye Gilo, whyle he offered sacrifyces. And there was wrought stronge treason. For the peope went & increa¦sed with Absalom in multitude. And there came a messenger to Dauid, and sayde: the hertes of the men of Israell are turned after Absalom. And Dauid sayd vnto all his ser∣uauntes that were with hym at Ierusalem: vp, that we may be gone, for we shall not els escape from Absalō. Make spede to departe: lest he come sodenly, & catche vs, and brynge some myscheyfe vpon vs, & smyte the citye w^t the edge of the swerde. And the kyng{is} seruaū¦tes sayde vnto hym: beholde, thy seruauntes are redye, to do whatsoeuer my lord the kyng shal appoynt. And the kynge & all his house∣holde [unspec D] departed a foote. And he lefte behynde hym ten ☞ concubynes, to kepe the house. And so the kynge & all the people went out a fote, & taryed in a place that was far of. And all his seruauntes went about hym. And all the Cerethites & all the Phelethites, and all the Gethites ❀ (myghtye men of vvar) (euen vi. C. men whiche were come a fote frō Geth) went before the kynge. Then sayd the kynge to Ithai the Gethite, wherfore cōmest thou with vs? Returne & abyde with the kyng, for thou arte a straunger, & arte remoued from thyne owne place. Thou camest but yester∣daye, and shulde I vnquyet the to day to go with vs? I wyll go whyther I can. Therfore returne thou, and carye agayne thy brethren. Mercye and trueth ❀ (shall the Lorde shevve vnto the.) And Ithai answered the kynge, & sayde: as trulye as the Lorde lyueth, in what place my Lorde the kynge shall be, whyther in death or lyfe, euen there also wyll thy ser∣uaunt be. And Dauid the kynge sayde to I∣thai: come then, and go forwarde. And Ithai the Gethite went forth, and all his men, and all the chyldren that were with hym. And all the countrey wepte with a loude voyce, and so dyd all the people that went forth.

The kynge also hym selfe passed ouer the [unspec E] broke Cydron. And all the people went to∣warde the waye that leadeth to the wylder∣nesse. And Sadock and al the Leuytes were with hym, and bare the arke of the appoynt∣ment of God. And there they set downe the arke of God. And Abiathar ☞ went vp, vn∣tyll the people were all come ouer, out of the citye. And the kynge sayde vnto Sadocke: Carye the arke of god agayne in to the citye.

Yf I shall fynde fauoure in the eyes of the Lorde, he wyll brynge me agayne, and shewe me bothe it, & the tabernacle therof. But and yf the Lorde thus saye: I haue no lust vnto the, beholde, here am I, let hym do with me / what semeth good in his eyes.

The kynge sayde also vnto Sadocke the [unspec F] preest: Arte not thou a Sear? Returne into the citye in peace. And take your two sonnes with you: Ahimaaz thy son, & Ionathas the son of Abiathar. Beholde, I wyll tarye in the feldes of the wyldernesse, vntyll there come some word from you to be tolde me. Sadock therfore and Abiathar caryed the arke of god agayne to Ierusalem, and they taryed there. And Dauid went vp on mount olyuete, and wepte as he went, and had his heade couered and went barefoote. And all the people that was with hym, had euery man his heade co∣uered, and as they went vp, they wepte also. And one tolde Dauid, sayenge: Ahithophell is one of them that haue conspyred with Ab∣salom: And Dauid sayd: O Lorde, turne the counsayle of Ahithophell in to folyshnesse.

When Dauid was come to the top of the [unspec G] mount ☞ he worshypped God: and beholde, Husai the Arachite came agaynst hym with his coote torne, and hauynge earth vpon his heade. Unto whome Dauid sayd: yf thou go with me, thou shalte be a burthen vnto me.

But yf thou returne to the Citye, and saye vnto Absalom: I wyll be thy seruaunt O kyng: (as I haue thus longe ben thy fathers seruaunt, so am I nowe thy seruaunt) thou mayst for my sake destroye the counsayle of Ahithophell. And thou hast there with the, Sadocke, and Abiathar the Preestes, vnto whome thou shalte shewe all that thou canst heare out of the kynges house. And beholde, they haue there with them theyr two sonnes,

Ahimaaz Sadockes sonne, and Ionathas Abiathers sonne: By them also shal ye sende me all that ye can heare. And so Husai Da∣uids frende gat hym to the citye. And Absa∣lom also entred into Ierusalem.

¶ ziba bryngynge presentes to Dauid / doth falsely ac∣cuse Miphiboseth. Semei curseth Dauid, and hur∣leth stones at hym. Absatom (by the counsell of Ahi∣thophell) lyeth with his fathers concubynes.

CAPI. XVI.

ANd when Dauid was a lytle paste the [unspec A] top of the hyll: beholde, Ziba the ser∣uaunte of Miphiboseth came to mete hym with a couple of Asses sadled, and vpon them two hundred loues / and one hundred bunches of reasyns, and an hundred frayles of dryed fygges, and a bottell of wyne. And the kynge sayde vnto Ziba: what meanest thou with these? And Ziba sayde: They be Asses ☞ for the kynges housholde to ryde on, and breade and fruyte for the yonge men to eate, and wyne: that such as be faynt in the wyldernesse, may drynke. And the kynge sayde: where is thy maysters Sonne? Ziba answered vnto the kynge: behold, he taryeth styll at Ierusalem. For he sayd: this day shal the house of Israell restore me the kyngdom of my father. Then sayde the kynge to Ziba, beholde, thyne are all that perteyned vnto Miphiboseth. And Ziba sayde: I beseche the that I may fynde grace in thy syght, my Lorde, O kynge.

And when kynge Dauid came to Bahu∣rim: [unspec B] beholde, thence came out a man of the kynted of the house of Saull, named Se∣mei the son of Gera, & he came out cursynge. And he cast stones at Dauid, and at all the seruauntes of kynge Dauid: All the people also & all the men of war were on his ryght hande, and on his lefte. And thus sayde Se∣mei when he cursed: come forthe, come forthe thou bloodsheder, and thou man of Belyall.

The Lorde hath brought vpon the all the bloode of the house of Saull, in whose steade thou hast reygned, and the Lorde hath dely∣uered the kyngdome into the hande of Absa∣lom thy sonne. And beholde thou arte come to thy mischeyfe, bycause thou arte a blood∣sheder. Then sayde Abisai, the sonne of Zar∣uia vnto the kynge: why dothe this deade dog curse my lorde the kynge? let me go now and take of the heade of hym.

And the kynge sayde: what haue I to do [unspec C] with you ye sonn{is} of Zaruia: Let hym curse: for the Lorde hath byden hym curse Dauid. Who dare then say: wherfore hast thou done so? And Dauid sayd to Abisai, and to all his seruauntes, beholde, my son whiche came of myne owne bodye, seketh my lyfe. How moch more then maye this Sonne of Iemini do it? Suffre hym to curse, for the Lorde hath bydden hym: haplye the Lorde wyll loke on my wretchednes, and do me good for his cur∣synge this daye. And as Dauid and his men went by the waye, Semei went alonge on the hylles syde ouer agaynst hym, and cursed as he went, & threwe stones at hym, and cast dust. And the Kynge and all that were with hym came werye, and refresshed them selues ☞ there. And Absalom and all the people of the men of Israel came to Ierusalem, and Ahithophell was with hym.

And as soone as Husai the Arachite Da∣uids frende was come vnto Absalō, he sayde vnto hym: God saue the kynge, God saue the kynge. And Absalom sayd agayne to Husai: is this the kyndnes thou owest to thy frend? Why wentest thou not with hym? Husai an∣swered vnto Absalom: nay not so, but whom the Lorde and this people and all the men of Israell chose, his wyll I be, and with hym wyll I dwell. Moreouer, vnto whome shall I do seruice, but euen to his sonne? And as I was seruaunt before with thy father, euen so shall I be with the. Then spake Absalom to Ahithophell: gyue counsayle, what is best for vs to do. And Ahithophell sayde vnto Absa∣lom: get the in vnto thy Fathers concubi∣nes whiche he hath lefte to kepe the house. And all Israell shall heare, that thou ☞ arte cast out of thy father: then shall the handes of all that are w^t the, be stronge. And so they pytched Absalom a tent vpon the ☞ top of the house. And he went in vnto his Fathers concubynes in the syght of all Israell.

And the counsayle of Ahithophell whiche he councelled in those dayes, was as a man had asked counsayle of God: euen so was all the counsayle of Ahithophell, both with Da∣uid and with Absalom.

¶ Ahithophell, seynge his counsell disalowed of ••us•••• and forsaken, hangeth hym selfe.

CAPI. XVII.

AHithophel sayde vnto Absalom: let me [unspec A] chose out nowe. xii. M. men. And I wyl vp, & folow after Dauid by nyght. And I wyl come vpon hym, whyle he is werye & weyke handed, & wyll feare hym. And all the people that are w^t hym, shal flee. And so wyl I smyte the kynge onlye, and wyll brynge agayne all the people vnto the, ❀ euen as easely as yf I wolde brynge any other thyng. And when I haue sleyn the man whom thou sekest, al the peple shall haue rest. And the saynge pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israell.

Then sayd Absalom: call also Husai the Ara∣chite, and let vs heare his counsayle. When Husai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake vnto hym, sayenge: Ahithophell hath gyuen suche counsell: Shal we do after his saynge, or no? tell thou.

Husai answered vnto Absalom: the coun∣sayle that Ahithophel hath gyuē, is not good [unspec B] at this tyme. For (sayd Husai) y^u knowest thy father, & his men howe that they be stronge? And yf they be chaufed in theyr myndes, they are euen as a Beare robbed of her whelpes in the feelde. Thy father is a man also practi¦sed in warre, & maketh no taryenge with the people: beholde, he lurketh now in some caue or in some other place. And though some of his me be ouerthrowen at the fyrst brunt, yet they that heare it wyll saye: The people that foloweth Absalom, be put to the worse. And the best men thou haste, whose hertes are as the hertes of Lyons, shal shrynke therat. For al Israel knoweth, that thy father is a migh∣tye man, and they which be with hym are all men of warre.

Therfore my counsayle is, that all Israel [unspec C] be gathered vnto the, from Dan to Beerseba (which are as the sande of the see in nombre) and that thou go to battayle in thyne owne person. For so shal we come vpon hym in one place or other, where we shal fynde hym, and we wyll fall vpon hym, euen as thycke as the dewe falleth on the grounde. And of all the men that are with him, we shal not leaue him one. Moreouer, yf he be gotten into a towne, then shall all the men of Israel bryng ropes to that citye, and we wyl drawe it into the ry∣uer, vntyll there be not one stone foūde there. And Absalom and al the men of Israel sayd: the counsayle of Husai the Arachite is better then the counsell of Ahithophel. For it was euen the lordes determinacion to destroy the good counsayle of Ahithophel: that the lorde myght bryng euyll vpon Absalom. [unspec D]

Then sayd Husai vnto Sadocke & Abia that the preestes: of this and that maner dyd Ahithophel and the elders of Israell coun∣sayle Absalom. And thus and thus haue I counsayled. Nowe therfore sende quyckely, and shewe Dauid, saynge: tary not all nyght in the feldes of the wyldernesse, but get the ouer, lest the kyng be deuoured & all the peo∣ple that are with hym. Nowe Ionathas and Ahimaaz abode by the well Rogell: (for they myght not be sene to come into the citie.) And a wenche went & tolde them. And they wente, and shewed kynge Dauid.

Neuerthelesse a lad sawe them, and tolde [unspec E] it to Absalom. But they wente bothe of them away quyckly, and came to a mannes house in Bahurim, whiche had a wel in his yearde, into the whiche they went downe. And a wo∣man toke & spred a couerlet ouer the welles mouth, and strawed furmenty corne theron. And the thyng was not spyed. And when Ab¦saloms seruaūt{is} cam to the wife, to the house they sayde. Where is Ahimaaz & Ionathas? The woman answered them: they be gone ouer the lytell broke of water. And when they had sought them and coulde not fynde them, they returned to Ierusalem. And as soone as [unspec F] they were departed, the other came out of the well, & went and tolde kynge Dauid, & sayde vnto hym: vp, & get you quyckly ouer the wa¦ter, for suche counsayle hath Ahithophel gy∣uen, agaynst you. Then Dauid arose, and al the peple that were w^t hym, & they were come ouer Iordan by that it was day: so that there lacked not one of them, that was not come o∣uer Iordan. And when Ahithophel saw, that his counsayle was not folowed, he sadled his Asse, & arose, and gat hym home to his owne house, & to his owne citye, and put his house holde in order, & hanged hym selfe, & dyed, & was buryed in the sepulthre of his father.

Then Dauid came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed ouer Iordan, he and all the [unspec G] men of Israel with hym. And Absalom made Amasa captayn of the hoost in stede of Ioab whiche Amasa was a mannes sonne named Iethra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the doughter of Nahas, syster to Zeruia Io∣abs mother. So Israel & Absalō pytched in the lande of Gilead. And when Dauid was come to Mahanaim, Sobi the son of Nahas out of Rabba the citie of the chyldrē of Am∣mon, & Machir the son of Ammiel out of Lo∣deber, & Berzela•• the Geliadite out of Ro∣glim, brought bedd{is}, basyns, earthen vessels, wheat & barly, floure, & parched corne, beenes rice, ootemele, hony, butter, shepe, & chese of kyne, for Dauid & al the people that were w^t him, to eate. For they sayd: the people is hun∣grye, werye, and thrystye in the wyldernesse.

¶ Absalom is ouercome in battayle. He haugeth by the head in an Oke. He is kylled, and put in a dytche. Dauid is so so∣rowfull for the death of Absalom that he wepeth.

CAPI. XVIII.

AND Dauid nombred the people that [unspec A] were with hym, and set captaynes of thousandes, & of hundredes ouer them. And Dauid sent forth one parte of the peo∣ple vnder the hande of Ioab, and an other parte vnder the hande of Abisai the sonne of Zeruia Ioabs brother, and the thyrde parte

vnder the hande of Itha••, the Gethite. And the kyng sayd vnto the people: I wyl go w^t you also. And the people answered. Thou shalte not go forth: for yf we flee, our aduer∣saries wyll not care for vs: neyther shal they regarde vs, though halfe of vs were sleyne. But thou arte worth ten thousande of vs. Wherfore it is better, that thou soccoure vs o••te of the citye. And the kynge sayde vnto them: what semeth you best, that wyll I do.

And the kyng stode by the gate syde, & all the people came out by hundreds / & by thou∣sandes. [unspec B] And the kynge cōmaunded Ioab & Abisai, & Itha••, saynge: entreate the yonge man Absalom gentylly for my sake. And all the people herde, that the kynge gaue all the captaynes charge concernyng Absalom. And so the people went out into the felde agaynst Israel, and the battayle was in the wood of Ephraim: where the people of Israell were put to the worse before the seruaūtes of Da∣uid, & there was a great slaughter that daye, euen of. xx. M, mē. For the felde was fought there in dyuerse places, all abrode vpon the earth. And ☞ the wood deuoured mo people that day, then dyd the swerde. And Absalom came before the seruauntes of Dauid rydyng vpon a Mule, whiche caryed hym vnder the thic••e bowes of a great oke. And ☞ his head was caught of the oke, & he was lyfte vp by∣twene heuen & earth: & the Mule that was vn¦der hym, went his way. And one that sawe it [unspec C] tolde Ioab, saynge: beholde, I saw Absalom hange man Oke: & Ioab sayd vnto the man that tolde hym. If thou dydest se hym, why dydest not y^• there smyte hym to the grounde & I wolde haue gyuen the ten sycles of syluer and a gyrdle? The man sayde vnto Ioab: though thou woldest lay a thousande sycles of syluer in my hande, yet wolde I not stretch out myne hande agaynst the kynges sonne. For we herde with our ••ares when the kynge charged the, and Abisai and Ithai, sayenge: Beware, that none touche the yong man Ab¦salom. Moreouer, yf I had done it, I shulde haue done agaynst myne owne lyfe: for there is no matter hyd f••ō the kyng: yea & thou thy self woldest haue bene agaynst me. Thē sayd Ioab: I may not stand thus taryeng w^t the.

And he toke thre speares in his hande, and [unspec D] thrust them thorowe Absalom whyle he was yet alyue on the body of the tree. And ten ser∣uauntes that bare Ioabs wrapons, turned, and smote Absalom and slue hym. And whē Ioab blew the trompet the people returned from folowyng Israell: for Ioab spared the people. And they toke Absalom, and cast him into a great pyt in the wood, & layde a mygh∣tye great heape of stones vpon hym. And all Israel fled to theyr tentes. And this Absalom yet in his lyfe tyme toke & ••eared vp a pyl∣ler, whiche is in kynges dale. For he sayde: I haue no son. And therfore to kepe my name in remembraunce do I it. And he called the pyller after his owne name. And it is called vnto this day: Absaloms pyller.

Then sayd Ahimaaz the son of Sadocke [unspec E] let me run nowe, and beare the kyng tydyng•• howe that the Lorde hath iudged hym quyte of the hande of his enemyes. And Ioab sayd vnto hym: thou arte no man to beare tydyn∣ges to day: y^• shalte beare tydynges an other tyme: but to day thou shalte beare none, by∣cause the kynges sonne is deade. Then sayd Ioab to Chusi: go and tell the kynge, what thou hast sene: And Chusi bowed hym selfe vnto Ioab, and ran. Then sayd Ahimaaz the son of Sadocke agayne to Ioab: come what come wyll, let me also run after Chusi. And Ioab sayde: Wherfore wylte thou run my sonne? seyng that for the tydynges thou shalt haue no rewarde: well (sayde he) come what wyll, let me run. He sayd vnto hym: run. Thē Ahimaaz ran by the playne waye, and came before Chusi.

And Dauid sat bytwene the two gates. [unspec F] And the watchmā went vp to the roofe ouer the gate vnto the wall, and lyfte vp his eyes and sawe: and beholde, there came a man run nynge alone. And the watchman cryed, and tolde the kyng. And the kynge sayde: yf he be alone, there is good tydynges in his mouth. And he came, & drew nygh. And the watchmā sawe an other man runnynge, and he called vnto the porter, and sayd: beholde, there com¦meth an other man runnyng alone. And the kyng sayde: he is also a tydynges brynger. And the watchman sayd: me thynke the run∣nynge of the formost is lyke the runnynge of Ahimaaz the sonne of Sadocke. The kynge sayde: he is a good man & cometh with good tydynges. And Ahimaaz called, and sayd vn to the kyng: good tydynges, & he fell downe flat to the earth vpō his face before the king, & sayde: blessed be the Lorde thy God, whiche hath ☞ shut vp the men that lyfte vp theyr handes agaynst my lorde the kynge.

And the kynge sayde: is the yonge man [unspec G] Absalom safe. Ahimaaz answered: When Ioab sent (Chusi) the kynges seruaunt, and me thy seruaunt, I sawe moche a do. But I wote not what it was. And the kynge sayde vnto hym: turne and stande here. And he tur∣ned, and stode styll.

And beholde, Chusi came also, & sayde: Good tydynges my Lorde the kynge, for the Lorde hath quytte the this daye out of the hande of al them that rose agaynst the. And the kynge sayd vnto Chusi: is the yonge man Absalom safe? Chusi answered: the enmyes of my lord the kyng, and all that ryse agaynst the, to do the hurte, be as that yonge man is. And the kyng was moued, and went vp to a chambre ouer the gate, & wepte. And as he went, thus he sayde: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, wolde God I had dyed for the: O Absalom my sonne, my sonne.

¶ Dauid is restored to his kyngdom, and brought agayne to Ierusalem.

CAPI. XIX.

AND it was tolde Ioab: beholde, the [unspec A] kyng wepeth & mourneth for Absalom. And the victory of that day was turned in to mournyng vnto all the people. For the people herde say that day, howe the kyng so∣rowed for his son. And the people stale away that day from goynge in to the citye, as peo∣ple cōfounded steale away, when they flee in battayle. But the kynge hyd his face, & cryed with a loude voyce. O my son Absalom, O Absalom my son, my son. And Ioab came in to the house to the kynge, and sayd: thou hast shamed this day the faces of al thy seruaunt{is} which this day haue saued thy lyfe, & the ly∣ues of thy son{is} & of thy doughters, & the liues of thy wyues, and of thy concubines, in that thou louest thyne enemyes, & hatest thy fren∣des. For thou hast declared this daye, that y^u regardest neyther thy ••ordes nor seruauntes.

And this daye I do perceyue, that yf Ab∣salom [unspec B] had lyued, & all we had dyed this daye, that had pleased the well. Nowe therfore vp, and come out, and speake kyndely vnto thy seruauntes. For I swere by the lorde, excepte thou come out, there wyll not tary one man with the this nyght. And that wyll be worse vnto the, then all the euyl that fell on the frō thy youth vnto this houre. Then the kynge arose, & sat downe in the gate. And they tolde vnto al the people, saynge. Beholde, the king doth syt in the gate. And all the people came before the kyng▪ But Israel fled, euery man to his tent. And it fortuned that al the people were at stryfe thorowout all the tribes of Is∣rael, sayenge: The kynge saued vs out of the hande of our enemyes, he delyuered vs out of the hande of the Philistines, and nowe he is fled out of the lande for Absalom. But Ab∣salom whom we anoynted ouer vs: is deade in battayle. Therfore, why are ye so styl, that ye brynge not the kynge agayne.

And kynge Dauid sent to Sadocke and [unspec C] Abiathar the preestes, sayeng: Speake vnto the elders of Iuda & say: why are ye behynde to bryng the kyng agayne to his house, seing that suche tydynges is come from all Israel vnto the kynge euen to his house? ❀ (For the kyng had sayd. Thus shal ye say vnto the people of ••uda.) Ye are my brethren, my bones & my fleshe: wherfore thē are ye the last that bryng the kyng home agayn? And say ye to Amasa: art thou not of my bone & of my flesshe? God do so and so to me, yf thou be not captayne of the hoost to me for euer in the roume of Ioab

And he bowed the hertes of all the men of Iuda, euen as the herte of one man: so that they sent this worde to the kynge: Returne y^u with all thy seruauntes. So the kyng retur∣ned, and came to Iordan. And Iuda came to Gilgal, for to go downe to mete the kynge & to conuay hym ouer Iordā. And S••mei the sonne of Gera, the sonne of Gemini, whiche was of Bahurim, hasted, and came with the men of Iuda to mete kyng Dauid, and there were a thousande mē of Beniamin with hym & Ziba the seruaunt of the house of Saul & his. xv. sonnes and twentye seruauntes with hym. And they wente quyckely ouer Iordan before the kyng. And there went ouer a boote that caryed ouer the kynges housholde, and they dyd hym pleasure.

And S••mei the sonne of Gera fell before [unspec D] the kyng (as he was come ouer Iordan) and sayd vnto hym: let not my lorde impute wyc∣kednesse vnto me, nor remembre the thynges (that thy seruaunt dyd wyckedlye when my Lorde the kyng departed out of Ierusalem) that the kynge shulde take it to herte. For thy seruaunt doth knowe, how that I haue done amysse. And therfore beholde, I am the fyrst this day ☞ of all the house of Ioseph, that am come to go downe, to mete my Lorde the kyng. But Abisat the sonne of Zeruia answe¦red, and sayd: shall not Semei dye for this, bycause he cursed the Lordes anoynted? And Dauid sayd: What matter is bytwene you & me ye sonnes of Zeruia? For this daye ye be aduersaries vnto me. Shall there any man dye this day in Israel? Do not I know that I am this day kyng ouer Israel? And ther∣fore the kynge sayd vnto Semei: thou shalte not dye, and the kyng sware vnto hym.

And Miphiboseth the son of Saul came [unspec E] also to mete the kyng, & had neyther wasshed his fete, nor shauen his beerde, nor wasshed his cloth{is} frō the tyme the kyng departed, vn¦tyl he came agayne in peace. And it fortuned that when he was come to Ierusalem, & met

the kyng, the kyng sayd vnto hym: wherfore wentest thou not with me Miphiboseth? He answered: My lorde, O kynge, my seruaunt deceyued me. For thy seruaunt sayd, I wolde haue myne Asse sadled to ryde theron, for to go to the kyng, bycause thy seruaunt is lame. And Ziba hath falsly reported of thy seruaūt vnto my lorde the kynge. And my Lorde the kyng is as an angel of god: do therfore what semeth good in thyne eyes. For al my fathers house were but dead men before my lorde the kyng: and yet dydest thou put thy seruaunt amonge them that dyd eate at thyne owne table. What ryght therfore haue I yet, to cry any more vnto the kyng? And the kyng sayd vnto hym: Why speakest thou yet in thyne owne cause? ❀ (It is determyned, that) I haue sayd, thou & Ziba deuyde the landes bytwene you. And Miphiboseth sayd vnto the kyng: yea let hym take all: for so moche as my lorde the kynge is come agayne in peace vnto his owne house.

And Berselai the Gileadite came downe [unspec F] from Roglim, and wente ouer Iordan with the kyng, to conuay hym ouer Iordan. Berse¦lai was a very aged man, euen. iiii score yere olde, and prouyded the kyng of sustenaunce. whyle he lay at Mahanaim: for he was a mā of very great substaunce. And the kyng sayd vnto Berselai: come thou with me, and I wyl fede the with me in Ierusalem. And & Ber∣selai sayd vnto the kynge: I am thus olde, & howe am I able to go vp with the kyng vn∣to Ierusalem? I am this day foure score yere olde: and ☞ can I descerne bytwene good & euyll? Hath thy seruaunt any taste in that he eateth or drynketh? Can he heare anye more the voyce of syngynge men & women? Wher∣fore then shuld thy seruaunt be yet a burthen vnto my Lorde the kyng? Thy seruaunt wyl go a lytell way ouer Iordan with the kynge: and why wyl the king recompence it me with suche a rewarde? Oh, let thy seruaunt turne backe agayne that I may dye in myne owne citye, & (be buryed) in the graue of my father & of my mother. Beholde, here is thy seruaūt ☞ Chimean: let hym go with my Lorde the kynge, and do to hym, what shall please the.

And the kyng answered: Chimean shal go [unspec G] with me. And I wyll do to hym that y^u shalte be content with. And what soeuer thou shalte requyre of me, that same wyll I do for the. And all the people wente ouer Iordan. And when the kyng was come ouer Iordā, he kys∣sed Berselai, and ☞ blessed hym, & he wente backe agayne vnto his owne place. And then the kyng went to Gilgal, and Chimean went with hym, and so dyd all the people of Iuda, and brought ouer the kynge, and there were but halfe the men of Israel.

And beholde, all the men of Israell came to the kynge, and sayd vnto hym: why haue our brethren the mē of Iuda stolne the away and haue brought the kyng & his housholde and al Dauids men with hym ouer Iordan•• And all the men of Iuda answered the men of Israel: the kynge is nere of kyn to vs. wherfore be ye angry for that mattter? thinke ye that we eate of the kynges cost, or that we take vs any gyftes? And the men of Israell answered the men of Iuda, & sayd: We haue ten partes in the kynge, & haue therto more ryght to Dauid then ye. Why then dyd ye de∣spyse vs, that our aduyse shulde not be fyrst had in restorynge our kyng agayne? And the word{is} of the men of Iuda were fearcer, then the wordes of the men of Israel.

¶ Seba the sonne Bichri cayseth Israel agaynst Dauid. Ioab kylleth Amasa trayterously. The heade of Seba is delyuered to Ioab. Dauids receyuers are nombred.

CAPI. XX.

WHen there came thyther a certayne mā [unspec A] of Belial (named Seba, the son of Bi¦chri, a man of Gemini) he blew a trom∣pet & sayd: we haue no parte in Dauid, ney∣ther haue we enheritaunce in the son of Isai, let the men of Israell depart vnto theyr cen∣tes. And so euery man of Israell went from Dauid, and folowed Seba the son of Bichri. But the men of Iuda claue fast vnto theyr kyng, from Iordan to Ierusalem. And Da∣uid came to his house to Ierusalem, & toke the ten women his concubines, that he had lefte behynde hym to kepe the house, and put them in warde, and fed them: but lay no more w^t them. And so they were enclosed vnto the day of theyr death, lyuyng in wydowhode.

Then sayde the kynge ••o Amasa: Cal me [unspec B] the men of Iuda togyther agaynst the thyrde day, & be thou here also. And so Amasa went to gather the men of Iuda togyther: but ta∣ryed longer, then the tyme whiche he had ap∣poynted hym. And Dauid sayde to Abisai: Nowe shall Seba the sonne of Bichri do vs more harme, then dyd Absalom. Take thou therfore ☞ thy lordes seruauntes, & folowe after hym: lest he get hym walled cityes, and escape vs. And there wente out after hym Ioabs men, and the Crethites and the Phe∣lethites, and al the myghtyest men. And they departed out of Ierusalem to folowe after Seba the sonne of Bichri. And when they were at the greate stone in Gibeon, Amasa went before them.

And Ioabs garment (that he had aboute [unspec C] hym) was gyrde vnto hym, and he had gyr∣ded theron, a knyfe, whiche was ioyned fast to his loynes, in suche a shethe, that (as he went) it fell some tymes out. And Ioab sayd to Amasa: art thou in helth my brother? And Ioab toke Amasa by the chyn with the ryght hande, to kysse hym. But Amasa toke no hede to the knyfe that was in Ioabs hande, for therwith he smote hym in the shorte ryb¦bes, and shed out his bowels to the grounde, and thrust at hym no more, and he dyed.

So Ioab and Abisai his brother folowed [unspec D] after Seba the sonne of Bichri. And one of Ioabs men ☞ stode by hym, and sayde: He that beareth any fauoure to Ioab, or good wyll to Dauid, let hym go after Ioab? And Amasa lay walowed of blood, in the myddes of the way. And there was a man, which whē he saw that al the people stode styl, he rolled Amasa out of the way in to the felde, and cast a cloth vpon him, bycause he sawe that euery one that came, stode styl by hym. And as sone as he was tombled out of the way, al the peo¦ple went after Ioab, to folowe after Seba the sonne of Bichri.

And he went thorowe all the tribes of Is∣rael [unspec E] vnto Abel, and to Bethmaacha and all the places of Barim. And they gathered to∣gyther, & went after him. And they came and beseyged hym in Abell and in Bethmaacha.

And they cast vp a banke agaynst the citye that stode in the valley. Al the peple that was with Ioab, thrust at the wal to ouerthrow it. Then cryed a wyse woman oute of the cytie, heare, heare, byd Ioab come hyther, that I may speake with him. When Ioab was come vnto her, the woman sayde: arte thou Ioab? He answered: I am he. She sayd vnto hym: heare the wordes of thy handmayde? And he answered: I do heare. And she sayd agayne.

❀ They speake in the olde tyme, sayenge: [unspec F] ☞ men must aske of Abel & so haue they con¦tynuid hytherto: I am one of them that are peaceable & faythfull in Israel. And y^• goest aboute to destroy a citye and a mother in Is∣rael. Why wyite y^• deuoure the enheritaunce of the lorde? And Ioab answered, and sayde: God forbyd, God forbyd it me, that I shulde eyther deuoure or destroy. The matter is not so, but a man of mount Ephraim (Seba the son of Bichri by name) hath ☞ lyfte vp his hande agaynst the kyng, euē agaynst Dauid. Delyuer vs him onely, & I wyl departe from the citye. And the woman sayde vnto Ioab: Beholde, his heade shalbe throwen vnto the, ouer the wall. And then the womā went vnto all the people ☞ with her wysdom. And they smote of the head of Seba the son of Bichri, [unspec G] & cast it out to Ioab. And he blewe a trom∣pet, and they scattered from the citye, euery man to his tente. And Ioab returned to Ie∣rusalem, vnto the kynge. ☞ Ioab was ouer all the hoost of Israell. And Banaia the son of Iehoiada was ouer the Crethites & Phe∣lethites. And Aduram was ouer the tribute. And Iehosaphat the sonne of Ahilud was recorder. Seua was scribe. And Sadocke & Abiathar were the preestes. And Ira the Iai∣rete ☞ was Dauids preest.

¶ Thre deare yeares. The vengeaūce of the synnes of Saul lyghteth on his seuen sonnes, which are hanged. Foure great battayles••, which Dauid had agaynst the Philistines.

CAPI. XXI.

THen there fell an hunger in the dayes of Dauid, thre yeres togyther, And Dauid [unspec A] ••••quired of the lorde. And the Lorde answe∣red: it is for Saul, and the house of blood, by¦cause he slue the Gibaonites. And the kyng called the Gibaonites, and sayde vnto them. (Now the Gibaonites were not of the chyl∣dren of Israel, but a remenaunt of the Amo∣rites, and the chyldren of Israell sware vnto them: And Saull sought to sley them, for a zelle that he had to the chyldren of Israel and of Iuda.) wherfore Dauid sayd vnto them what shall I do for you, & wherwith shall I make the attonement, that ye may ☞ blesse the enheritaunce of the Lorde▪ The Gibao∣nites answered hym: we wyll haue no syluer▪ nor golde, of Saul nor of his house, neyther is it our mynde, that thou shuldest kyll any man in Israel. He sayd: what say ye th••n that I shall do for you? They answered the kyng:

The man that consumed vs, and ymage∣ned [unspec B] to brynge vs to nought, hym wyl we de∣stroy, that nought of hym contynue in any of the coostes of Israel. Let seuen men of his sonnes be delyuered vnto vs, & we wyl hang them vp vnto the Lorde, in Gibeah of Saul whom the Lorde dyd chose. And the kynge sayde: I wyll gyue them you.

But the kynge had compassyon on Miphi∣boseth the sonne of Ionathas, the sonne of Saull bycause of the Lordes othe that was bytwene them: euen bytwene Dauid and Io¦nathas the sonne of Saul. But he toke the two sonnes of Rizpa the doughter of Aia, (whom she bare vnto Saul) euen Armoni & Miphiboseth, and the .v. sonnes of Michol, (the doughter of Saul) whome she bare to Adriel the son of Barselai the Meholathite. And he delyuered them vnto the handes of the Gibeonites, whiche hanged them in the hyll before the Lorde.

And they fell all seuen togyther, and were sleyne in the dayes of haruest: euē in the fyrst dayes & in the begynnyng of barley haruest.

And Rizpa the doughter of Aia toke sacke cloth and ☞ hanged it vp for them vpon the rocke, euen from the begynnynge of haruest vntyl rayne dropped vpon them out of heuē: and suffered neyther the byrdes of the ayre to fall on them by day, nor beastes of the felde by night. And it was tolde Dauid what Rizpa [unspec C] the doughter of Aia the concubyne of Saul had done: and Dauid went, & toke the bones of Saul and of Ionathas his son, from the men of Iabes in Gilead (whiche had stolen them from the strete of Bethsan, where the Philistines had hanged them when the Phi∣listines had sleyne Saul in Gilboa.) And he brought thence the bones of Saul, & the bo∣nes of Ionathas his sonne, and they toke vp the bones of them that were hanged. And the bones of Saul and Ionathas his sonne bu∣ried they in the coūtrey of Beniamin in Zela, in the sepulchre of Cis his father. And when they had performed al that the king cōmaun¦ded. God was then at one with the lande.

It fortuned, that the Philistines had yet war agayne with Israel. And Dauid went downe & his seruauntes with hym, & fought agaynst the Philistines. And Dauid waxed fayntie, & Iesbi of Nob one of the sonnes of the gyaūtes (the yron of whose speare wayed ☞ thre hundred sycles, & he beyng gyrded w^t a newe swerde) thought to haue sleyne Da∣uid. But Abisaia the son of zaruia socoured hym, and smote the Philistine, & kylled hym. [unspec D] Then the seruauntes of Dauid sware vnto hym, saynge: Thou shalte go no more out w^t vs to battayle, that thou quenche not ☞ the lyght of Israel. And yet after this, there was a battayle with the Philistines at Nob, and then Sibbechat the Husathite slue Saph, which was one of the sonnes of the gyaūtes.

And there was yet an other battayle in Nob with the Philistines, where Eihanā the son of the Iaere Orgim, a Bethleemite slue one Goltath a gethite: the staffe of whose spere was as great as a weuers cloth beame And there was yet an other battayle in Geth where was a man of a great stature, & had on euery hande. vi. fyngers, and on euery foote vi. toes xxiiii. in al. And was borne also of the kynred of the giauntes in Geth. And wen he defyed Israell, Ionathas the son of Simea the brother of Dauid, slue hym. These foure giauntes were borne in Geth, and fell in to the hande of Dauid and in to the handes of his seruauauntes.

¶ The songe of Dauid for his delyueraunce from his enemyes.

CAPI. XXII.

ANd Dauid spake the wordes of this [unspec A] song vnto the lorde, what tyme the lord had delyuered hym out of the hande of all his enemyes, & out of the hande of Saul. And he sayd: the lorde is ☞ my rocke and my castel, & my delyuerer. God is my strength, in hym wyl I trust: he is my shelde, & the horne of my saluacyon: my worshyp & my refuge: my sauiour, thou shalt saue me from wrong. I wyll prayse and call on the Lorde, and so shall I be saued from myne enemyes. For the corrupcyons of death closed me aboute: the floudes of Beliall put me in feare. The so∣rowes of hel compassed me about: the snares of death ouertoke me. In my tribulaciō wyl I call vpon the lorde, & crye to my god. And he shal heare my voyce out of his temple, & my crye shall entre into his eares. The earth trembled & quaked: ☞ the foundacyons of heuen moued & shoke, when he was angrye.

Smoke went vp in his wrath, and consu∣ming fyre out of his mouth, coles were kend∣led therof. And he bowed heuen, and came [unspec B] downe, & there was darkenes vnder his fete. And he sat vpon Cherub and dyd flye, ☞ he was sene caried vpon the wyng{is} of the wynd He made darkenesse a tabernacle rounde a∣boute hym, with waters gathered togyther in thycke cloudes. Thorowe the bryghtnesse of his presence were the fyre coles kyndled.

God thundred from heuen, and he that is moost hygh, doth put out his voyce. He shot arowes, & scattered them: he hurled lyghte∣nyng, and dyscomfyted them. The flowyng{is} of the see appeared, & the foundacions of the worlde were sene, by the reason of the rebu∣kynge of the lorde, & thorowe the blastyng of the breth of his nose thryls. He shal sende frō heuen, & fet me, he shal plucke me out of ma∣ny waters. He shal deliuer me frō my myghty aduersary, & fro myne enmyes, for they are to strong for me. When they had ouertaken me in the day of my tribulacion, the lorde stayed me vp: for he brought me out into roumth, he delyuered me, bicause he had a loue vnto me.

The Lorde wyl rewarde me accordynge to my ryghteousnesse: accordyng to the pure∣nesse [unspec C] of my handes wyll he recompence me. For I haue kepte the wayes of the Lorde, & done no wyckednes agaynst my god. For all his lawes are in my syght, and his statutes wyll not I put awaye fro me. In his syght also haue I bene vndefyled, & ☞ haue kepte me fro myne iniquite.

And the Lorde dyd to me agayne, accor∣dyng to my ryghteousnes, euen after my pu∣renesse in his eye syght. With the godly thou shalte be godly, and with the man that is vn¦corrupte, thou shalt be vncorrupte. With the pure, thou shalte be pure: and with the fro∣warde, thou shalt be frowarde.

And the people that are in aduersyte, thou shalte helpe. And on the proude shalte thou cast thyne eyes. Thou arte my lyght O lorde the Lorde shall lyght my darknesse. For w^t thy helpe I wyll run thorowe an hoost of mē, and in ☞ my God wyl I spryng ouer a wal. ☞ God is vncorrupte in his way: the worde of the Lorde is tryed in the fyre, he is the de∣fender of al them that trust in hym. For who is a God, saue the Lorde? & who is myghtye, saue our god? God strengtheth me w^t power, and ☞ ryddeth the way cleare before me. He maketh my feete lyke hartes feete, & setteth me fast vpon my hye holde. He teacheth my handes to fyght, that euen a bowe of stcle is to weake for myne armes.

Thou hast gyuen me the shelde of thy sal∣uacion, [unspec D] and with thy louyng mekenesse thou doest multiplie me. Thou shalte make me space to walke in, & my legges shall not fayle me. I wyll folowe vpon myne enemyes and destroy them, and turne not agayne vntyll I haue consumed them. I wyll waste them and smyte them, that they shal not be able to arise Yea, they shall fal vnder my fete. Thou hast gyrded me about with myght to battayle, & them that arose agaynst me, hast y^• subdued vnder me. And thou madest myne enemyes (& them that hated me) to turne theyr backes to me, that I myght destroy them. They loke for helpe, but there is none to saue them: Yea euen vnto the Lorde do they crye, but he hea∣reth them not. I wyll beate them as small as the duste of the earth: I wyll stampe them as the dyrte of the streete, and wyll spreade them abrode. Thou shalte delyuer me from the dyscencion of my people: thou shalt kepe me to be an heade ouer nacions: the peple which I knewe not, shall serue me.

Straunge chyldren dissemble withme: At the hearynge of the eare they obey me.

Straunge chyldren wyll shrynke away / and they shall be smytten with feare in theyr preuye chambre. God is alyue, and blessed be my maker: magnified be God, my moost stronge saluacion. It is god that aduengeth me, & bryngeth downe the people vnder me. He delyuereth me from myne enemyes, thou also shalte lyfte me vp on hyghe frome them that ryse agaynst me, thou shalte delyuer me from the wycked men. And therfore I wyll prayse the (O lorde) amonge the nacyons, & wyll synge vnto thy name. Whiche sheweth great saluacion for his kyng, & dealeth mer∣cyfully with his anoynted: euen with Dauid and with his seede for euermore.

¶ The last cōmunicatyon of Dauid, and the descryptyo•• of the myghtye men to hym belongynge.

CAPI. XXIII.

THese be ☞ the last sayenges of Dauid. [unspec A] Dauid the son of Isai sayd. And the mā (which was made the anoynted of the god of Iacob, & the noble Psalmist of Israel) sayde: the spirite of the lord spake by me, & his word was in my tonge. The God of Israell spake ☞ of me, euen the moost myghtye of Israel, sayde: he that beareth rule ouer men, oughte to rule iustly in the feare of God. And as the mornyng lyght when the sonne is vp, a mor∣nyng in which are no cloud{is} to let the bright∣nesse, and as the grasse of the earth is by the vertue of the rayne. ☞ Is not my house so with God? For he hath made with me an euerlastyng couenaunt, perfyte, and sute in all poyntes: and this is truely all my he••che and all my desyre that it growe. But the vn∣godly man of Belial shalbe as a thorne clene plucked vp, whiche can not be taken w^t han∣des: But the mā that shall touche them, must haue yron, or a longe helue: Or els muste they be burnt with fyre in the same place.

These be the names of the myghtye men [unspec B] whom Dauid had: ☞ one that sat in the seat of wysdome, beyng cheyfest among thre▪ plea¦saunt was he and strong: he slue eyght hun∣dred at one tyme. After hym was Eleazar the son of Dodi the son of Ahohi, one of the thre worthyes with Dauid, which defied the Phi∣listines that were there gathered togyther to battayle: Whē the men of Israell were gone vp, he arose & layde on the Philistines, vntyl his hande was wery, & claue vnto the swerde And the Lorde gaue great victorye the same day. And the people ❀ (vvhiche had fled) retur¦ned, & went after hym to run to the spoyle. After hym was Sāma the son of Age the Ha¦rarite: & the Philistines gathered togyther besyde a towne (where was a parcell of lande ful of rice) & the people fled from the Philisti¦nes. But he stode in the myddes of the groūd and defended it, & slue the Philistines. And the lorde gaue great victory.

These thre (whiche were of the thyrtie cheyfe captaynes) went downe to Dauid in the haruest tyme vnto the caue Adullā, & the hoost of the Philistines abode in the valey of Gyauntes. And Dauid was then in an holde.

And the souldiours of the Philistines were [unspec C] in Bethleem. And Dauid longed, and sayde. Oh, that I had of the water that is in the wel by the gate of Bethleem, for to drynke. And the thre myghtye brake thorowe the hoost of the Philistines, and fet water out of the well of Bethleem that was by the gate and toke & brought it to Dauid: Neuerthelesse he wolde not drynke therof, but offred it vnto the lorde and sayde: the Lorde forbyd that I shulde do so. Is not this the blood of the mē that went in ieoperdye of theyr lyues? and therfore he wolde not drynke it. And these thynges dyd these thre myghtye men. Abisai the brother of Ioab, the sonne of Seruiah, was cheyfe among the thre, and he lyfte vp his speare a∣gaynst thre hundred, and slue them, and had the name among the thre. For he was nobler man then the thre, and was theyr captayne.

Howbeit he atteyned not vnto ❀ (the fyrst) thre. And Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada (the son of a myghty man) valyaunt in actes, of Kabzeel, slue two strong lyons, euen lyons of Moab. He went downe also, & slue a lyon in a pyt in tyme of snowe. And he slue an E∣gyptian, a goodly byg man, whiche had a speare in his hande. But he went downe to him with a staffe, and plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hande, and slue hym with his owne speare: These thynges dyd Bana∣tahu [unspec D] the son of Iehoiada, and had the name among the thre worthyes. He was honoura∣ble among thirtie, but he atteyned not to the (fyrst) thre. And Dauid made hym of his coū∣sell. Asahel the brother of Ioab also was one of the thyrtie. Thē Elhanam the son of Dodo of Bethleem: Sāma the Haronite: Elica the Harodite: Helez the Paltite: Ira the sonnes Akes the Thekoite: Abiezer of Anathoth: Meobnal the Husathite: zelmon an Ahohite: Maharai the Netophathite: Heleb the sonne of Baanah an Netophathite: Ithai the son of Ribai out of an hyl of the chyldren of Ben¦iamin: Banaiahu the Phirathonite: Hedai, of the ryuer of Gaas: Abialbon the Arba∣••hice: Asmaueth a Barhumite: Elihaba a Sa¦albonite: & the sonnes of Iasen, Ionathas. Sāma the Hararite: Ahiam the son of Sa∣rer an Hararite: Eliphelet the son of Aisbai, the son of a Maachathite: Eliam the son of Aithophel the Gilonite: Hezrai y^• Carmelite: Paarai the arbite: Igall the son of Nathan of Zoba: Banithe Gadite, Zelec an Amonite Naharai a Berothite, which was the harnes bere•• of Ioab the sonne of Zaruia: Ira the Iethrite: Gareb the Iethrite: Uria the Hethit thyrtye and seuen in all.

¶ Dauid causeth the people to be nombred, and therfore is Israell plaged with Pestilence, so that in thre dayes there dyed. ixi. thousande.

CAPI. XXIIII.

ANd agayne, the Lorde was wrothe a∣gaynst [unspec A] Israell, and ☞ Dauid moued hym agaynst them, in that he sayd: go and nombre Israel and Iuda. For the kyng sayde to Ioab the captayne of his hoost: go thou abrode nowe, thorowout all the trybes of Israell, euen from Dan to Beer seba, and nombre ye the people, that I maye knowe the nombre of them. And Ioab sayde vnto the kyng. I beseche the Lorde thy God, to make the people as many mo as they be: yea & an C. tymes so many mo, & that the eyes of my lorde the kyng may se them. And what is the cause that my Lorde the kynge hath a lust to this thynge? Notwithstandynge the kynges worde preuayled agaynst Ioab and agaynst the captaynes of the hoost. And Ioab & the captaynes of the hoost went out from the pre¦sence of the kyng, to nombre the people of Is¦rael. And they passed ouer Iordan, & pytched in Aroer on the ryght syde of the Citye that lyeth in the myddes of the valey of Gad, ouer agaynst Iazer. And thē they came to Gilead, & to the nether lande (where was a newe ha∣bitacion,) & from thence they came to Dan [unspec B] Iaan aboute to Sidon, & came to the strong holde of Tyre, and to all the cityes of the He∣uites & of the Cauanites, & then went out to the south of Iuda, euen to Beer seba. And so when they had bene abrode thorowout al the lande, they returned to Ierusalem agayne, after the ende of. ix. monethes and. xx. dayes.

And Ioab delyuered vp the nombre & sūme of the people vnto the kyng. And there were in Israel. ix. C. thousande mē of myght that drewe swerdes. And the men of Iuda were fyue. C. thousande men. And Dauids herte smote hym, after that he had nombred the people. And Dauid sayde vnto the Lorde: I haue synned excedyngly in that I haue done

And nowe Lorde take away the trespasse of thy seruaunt, for I haue done very folysshly.

And when Dauid was vp in a mornynge, the worde of the lorde came vnto the prophet Gad Dauids sear, saynge: Go and say vnto Dauid, thus sayth the Lorde: I offer the thre thynges, chose the, whiche of them I shal do vnto the.

So Gad came to Dauid, and shewed him [unspec C] & sayd vnto hym: Wylte thou haue ☞ seuen yeres hunger to come in thy lande, or wylte thou flee. iii. monethes before thyne enemyes they folowyng the, or that there be. iii. dayes pestylence in thy lande? Now therfore aduise

the, and se, what answere I shal gyue to hym that sent me. And Dauid sayd vnto Gad: I am in extreme trouble. We wyll fall nowe into the hande of the Lorde, for moche is his mercye, and let me not fall in to the hande of man. And the Lorde sent a pestylence in Is∣raell, from the mornynge vnto the tyme ap∣poynted. And there dyed of the people from Dan to Beerseba seuentye thousande men.

And when the angell stretched out his hande vpon Ierusalem to destroye it, the lorde had cōpassyon to do that euyll, and sayde to the angell that destroyed the people: it is nowe sufficyent: holde thyne hande. And the angell of the lorde was by the thresshynge place of Aresna the Iebusyte. And Dauid spake vn∣to the Lorde (when he sawe the angell that smote the people) and sayde: loo, it is I that haue synned, and I that haue done wyckedly But these shepe, what haue they done? Let thyne hande (I praye the) be agaynst me, & agaynst my fathers house. And Gad came the same day to Dauid, and sayd vnto hym: go vp and reare an aulter vnto the Lorde in the threshynge floore of Aresna the Iebusite. And Dauid (accordyng to the sayng of Gad) went vp, as the lorde cōmaunded.

And Aresna loked, and sawe the kyng and [unspec D] his seruauntes cōmynge towarde hym. And Aresna went out, and bowed him selfe before the kynge flat on his face vpon the ground / and Aresna sayde: wherfore is my Lorde the kynge come to his seruaūt? Dauid answered: to bye the thresshynge floore of the, and to make an aulter vnto the lorde, that the plage maye cease from the people. And Aresna sayd vnto Dauid: let my lorde the kyng take and offre what semeth hym good in his eyes: Be∣holde, here be oxen for burntsacrifyce, & sled∣des and the other instrumentes of the oxen for woode. All these thyng{is} dyd Aresna gyue vnto the kynge, and sayd moreouer vnto the kynge: the lorde thy God accept the. And the kynge sayde vnto Aresna: not so, but I wyll bye it of the at a pryce, and wyl not offre Sa∣crifyce vnto the Lorde my god of that which doth cost me nothyng. And so Dauid bought the thresshynge floore, and the oxen ☞ for fyftye sycles of syluer. And Dauid buylde there an aulter vnto the Lorde, and offered hurt sacrifyces and peaceofferynges. And so the lorde was intreated for the land. And the plage ceased from Israell.

¶ The ende of the seconde boke of Samuell: otherwyse called the se∣conde of the Kynges.

¶ The thyrde boke of the Kynges after the rekenynge of the Latenistes: whiche thyrde Booke and the fourth also, is but one with the Hebrues.

¶ The yonge virgyn Abisag kepeth Dauid in his extreme age. Adonia occupieth the realme vnwyt∣tynge to his father. Salomon is anoynted hynge, and so Adonia getteth hym away.

CAPI. Primo.

ANd Kynge Dauid was [unspec A] olde and stryken in yeres: so that whē they couered hym with clo∣thes, he caught no heate. Wher∣fore his seruauntes sayd vnto hym: let there be sought for my Lorde the kynge a yonge mayden, to stande before the kynge, and to cheryshe hym. And let her lye in thy bosome, that my lorde the kynge maye get heate. And so they sought for a fayre damfell thorowout all the coostes of Israell, & founde one Abi∣sag a Sunamite, & brought her to the kynge And the damfell was excedynge fayre, and therysshed the kynge, and ministred to hym▪ But the kynge knewe her not. And Adonia the son of Hagith exalted hym selfe, sayenge: I wyll be kynge. And he gat hym charettes, and horsemen, and fyftye men to run before him. And his father wolde not displease him at any tyme, nor sayde so moche to hym as / why doest thou so? And he was a goodlye man, and his mother bare hym nexte after Absalom. And he toke coūsayle at Ioab the sonne of Zaruia, and at Abiathar the Preest. And they helped Adonia. But Sadocke the preest, Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada, Na∣than the prophet, Semei and Rei, and all the men of myght whiche were with Dauid, fa∣uoured not Adonia. And Adonia sacrifyced shepe and oxen, and fat cattell, by the stone of [unspec B] Zoheleth, whiche is fast by the well of Ro∣gell, and called all his brethren the kynges sonnes, and the men of Iuda the kynges ser∣uauntes. But Nathan the prophet and Ba∣naiahu, and the other myghtye men, & Sa∣lomon his brother, he called not. Wherfore, Nathan spake vnto Bethsabe the mother of Salomon, sayenge: hast thou not herde how that Adonia the son of Hagith doth reygne, and Dauid our lorde knoweth it not? Nowe therfore come, & I wyll gyue the counsayle / howe to saue thyne owne lyfe, and the lyfe of thy son Salomon. Go & get the in vnto kynge Dauid, & saye vnto hym: dydest not thou (my lorde O kynge) sweare vnto thy handmayde

saynge. Salomon thy son shall reygne after me, and he shall syt vpon my seate? Why is then Adonia kynge? Behold, whyle thou yet talkest there with the kynge, I wyll come in after the, and confyrme thy wordes.

And Bethsabe went in vnto the kynge in [unspec C] to the chambre. And the kyng was very olde and Abisag the Sunamite minystred vnto the kynge. And Bethsabe stouped, and made obeysauuce vnto the kynge. And the kynge sayde: what is thy matter? She answered hym: My lorde, thou swarest by the lorde thy God vnto thyne handmayde: Salomon thy son shall reygne after me, & he shall syt vpon my seate. And behold, now is Adonia kynge, and my lorde the kyng woteth not of it. And he hath offered oxen, fat cattell, & many shepe and hath called all the sonnes of the kynge, and Abiathar the preest, & Ioab the captayn of the hooste. But Salomon thy seruaunt hath he not bydden. And nowe my lorde (O kynge,) the eyes of all Israell wayte on the, that thou shuldest tel them, who ought to syt on the seate of my lorde the kyng after hym?

For els when my Lorde the kynge is layde to rest with his fathers, I and my son Sa∣lomon shall be ☞ ❀ synners. And whyle she yet talked with the kynge, Nathan the Pro∣phet came also. And they tolde the kyng say∣enge: beholde, here cōmeth Nathan the pro / phet. And when he was come in to the kyng / he made obeysaunce before the kynge vpon his face on the grounde, and Nathan sayde: My Lorde (O kynge) hast thou sayd, Ado∣nia [unspec D] shall reygne after me, & he shall syt vpon my seate? For he his gone downe this day / & hath sleyne many oxen, and fat shepe, & hath called all the kyng{is} sonnes, & the captaynes of the hoost, and Abiathar the preest. And be holde, they eate and drynke before hym, and saye: God saue the kynge Adonia. But me thy seruaunt, and Sadocke the Preest, and Banatahu the son of Iehoiada, and thy ser∣uaunt Salomon hath he not called. Is this thynge done of my lorde the kynge, and thou hast not shewed it vnto thy seruaunt, who shulde syt on the seate of my lorde the kynge after hym? Then kynge Dauid answered, & sayde: call me Bethsabe. And she came in to the kynges presence, & stode before hym. And the kyng sware, sayng. As truly as the lorde lyueth (that hath ryd my soule out of all ad∣uersyte) euen as I sware vnto the by the lord god of Israell, sayenge: Salomon thy sonne shall reygne after me, and he shall syt vpon my seate for me, so wyll I do this daye. Then Bethsabe bowed on her face to the earth, and dyd reuerence vnto the kynge, and sayde: I praye God that my Lorde kynge ☞ Dauid maye lyue euer. And kynge Dauid sayde: cal [unspec E] me Sadock the preest, & Nathan the prophet & Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada. And they came before the kynge. The kynge also sayd vnto them: take with you the seruauntes of your Lorde, and set Salomon my son vpon myne owne Mule, & carye hym downe ☞ to Gihon. And Let Sadocke the preest, and Na∣than the prophet anoynte hym there, kynge ouer Israell. And blowe ye with trompettes, and saye: God saue kynge Salomon. And then come vp after hym, that he maye come and syt vpon my seate. For he shall be kynge in my steade. And I wyll cōmaunde hym to be captayne ouer Israell & Iuda. And Bana¦iahu the son of Iehoiada answered the kyng, and sayde, Amen. I praye god that the lorde god of my Lorde the kynge saye so to. And as god hath ben with my Lorde the kynge / euen so be he with Salomon also, & make his seate greater, then the seate of my lorde kyng Dauids hath ben. And so Sadock the preest / and Nathan the prophet, and Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada, & the Crethites & Phelethi∣tes went downe, & set Salomon vpon kynge Dauids Mule, and brought hym to Gihon. And Sadock the preest toke an horne of oyle out of the tabernacle, & anoynted Salomon.

And all they of the people blewe trompet¦tes, [unspec F] and sayde: God saue kynge Salomon. And all the peple came vp after hym, pypyng with pypes, and reioysynge greatly, so that the earth range with the sounde of them.

And Adonia and all the gestes that he had called vnto hym, herde it / euen as they had made an ende of eatynge. And when Ioab herde the soūde of the trompet, he sayd: howe happeneth it that there is soche a noyse in the citye? And as he yet spake: behold, Ionathas the sonne of Abiathar the Preest came. And Adonia sayd vnto hym: come in, for thou art a valyaunt man, and bryngest good tydyng{is} And Ionathas answered & sayde to Adonia: Uerely our lorde kyng Dauid hath made Sa∣lomon kynge. And the kynge hath sent with hym, Sadok the Preest, and Nathan the pro¦phet, and Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada, and the Crethites, and the Phelethites, and they haue set hym vpon the kynges Mule. And Sadocke the preest, & Nathan the pro∣phet haue annoynted hym kynge in Gihon. And they came vp agayne, and reioysed, that the citye dyd sounde agayne. And that is the noyse, that ye haue herde. And Salomon syt¦teth on the seate of the kyngdom. And more∣ouer,

the kynges seruauntes came to blesse [unspec G] our Lorde kynge Dauid, sayenge: thy God make the name of Salomon more honora∣ble then thy name, & make his seate, greater then thy seate. And the kynge bowed hym¦selfe vpon the bed. And thus sayd the kynge: blessed be the Lorde God of Israell, whithe hath made one to syt on my seate this daye, myue eyes seynge it. And all the gestes that were with Adonia were afrayde, & rose vp, & went euery man his waye. And Adonia fea∣rynge the presence of Salomon, arose, & went ❀ (in to the tabernacle of the lorde) & caught holde on the hornes of the aulter. And one tolde Salomon, saynge: behold, Adonia doth feare kynge Salomon: for he hath caught holde on the hornes of the aulter, sayenge▪ let kynge Salomon sweare vnto me this daye that he wyll not sley his seruaunte with the swerde. And Salomon sayde: yf he wyll he a chylde of vertue, there shall not an heere of hym fall to the earth. But and yf wyckednes be founde in hym, he shall dye. And so kynge Salomon sent, and they brought hym from the aulter. And he came, and dyd obeysaunce vnto kynge Salomon. And Salomon sayd vnto hym: get the to thyne house.

¶ Dauid dyeth Adonai requireth to haue Abisag to his Con••ubine, & therfore Salomon cōmaudeth to sley hym▪ Abiathar so put from his preesthode. Semei, and Ioab are sleyne.

CAPI. II.

THe dayes of Dauid drewe nygh, that he [unspec A] shulde dye, and he charged Salomon his sonne, sayenge: I go the waye of all the worlde, be thou stronge therfore, and shewe thy selfe a man. Kepe thou the watche of the lorde thy God, that thou walke in his wayes, and kepe his ☞ statutes, and his pre∣ceptes, his iudgementes, & his testymonyes, euen as it is wrytten in the lawe of Moses: that thou mayst prosper in al that thou doest & in euery thynge that thou medlest with all.

That the Lorde also maye make good his worde whiche he spake vnto me, sayenge: yf thy Chyldren take hede to theyr waye, that they walke before me in trueth▪ with all theyr hertes, and with all theyr soules, then shalt thou not be with oute a man on the seate of Israell. Moreouer, thou wotest howe Io∣ab the sonne of Zatuia serued me, and what he dyd to that two captaynes of the hoostes of Israell: vnto Abner the sonne of Ner, and vnto Amasa the sonne of Iether, whome he slewe and shed bloode in tyme of peace (euen as it had ben in war) ☞ and put the bloode of war vpon his gyrdle that was aboute his loynes, & in his shoes that were on his feete▪ Deale with hym therfore accordynge to thy [unspec B] wysdome, and brynge not his hoore heade downe to the graue in peace. But shewe kyndnesse vnto the Sonnes of Berselat the Gileadite, that they maye eate at thy table: For they came to me, when I fled from Ab∣salom thy brother. And beholde, thou hast with the, Semei the sonne of Gera, the son of Gemini of Bahurim, whiche cursed me with an horrible curse, in the day whē I went to Mahanahim. But he came to mete me at Iordane, and I sware to hym by the Lorde, sayenge. I wyll not sley the with the swerde. But thou shalte not count hym as vngyltye: For thou arte a man of wysdome, & knowest what thou oughtest to do to hym, his hoore heade shalte thou brynge to the graue / with bloode.

And so Dauid slepte with his fathers, and was buryed in the citye of Dauid. And [unspec C] the dayes whiche Dauid reygned vpon Is∣rael, were fourtye yeres: seuen yeres reygned he in Hebron: and thyrtye, and thre yeares reygned he in Ierusalem. Then sat Salo∣mon vpon the seate of Dauid his father, and his kyngdome was stablysshed myghtely.

And Adonia the sonne of Hagith, came to Bethsabe the mother of Salomon. And she sayde: Commest thou peaceably? And he sayde: peaceably. He sayde moreouer: I haue somwhat to say vnto the. She sayde: say on. And he sayde: thou knowest that the kyng∣dome was myne, and that all Israel set theyr faces on me, that I shulde reygne, howe be it the kyngdome is turned awaye / and gyuen to my brother, for it is appoynted hym of the Lorde: and nowe I aske a peticyon of the / denye me not. And she sayde vnto hym: Say on. And he sayde: speake I praye the, vnto Salomon the kynge (for he wyll not say the nay) that he gyue me Abisag the Sunamite to wyfe. And Bethsabe sayde: well, I wyll speake for the vnto the kynge. [unspec D]

Bethsabe therfore went vnto kynge Sa∣lomon, to speake vnto hym for Adonia. And the kynge rose vp to mete her, & bowed hym¦selfe vnto her, & sat hym downe on his seate. And there was a seate set for the kynges mo∣ther, and she sat on his ryght syde. Then she sayd: I desyre a lytell peticyon of the, I pray the saye me not naye. And the kynge sayde vnto her: Aske on my mother: For I wyll not say the naye. She sayde: let Abisag the Su∣namite be gyuen to Adonia thy brother, to wyfe. And kynge Salomon answered and sayde vnto his mother: why doest thou aske Abisag the Sunamite for Adonia? aske for

hym the kyngdome also: for he is myne elder brother, & hath for hym Abiathar the preest / and Ioab the sonne of Zaruia. Then kynge Salomon sware by the Lorde sayenge: God do so, and so to me, yf Adonia haue not spo∣ken this worde agaynst his owne lyfe. Nowe therfore, as truly as the lorde lyueth (whiche hath ordeyned me, and set me on the seate of Dauid my father, and ☞ made me an house (as he promysed) Adonia shall dye this day. And kynge Salomon sent by the hande of Banaiahu, the Sonne of Iehoiada, and he smote hym that he dyed.

And vnto Abiathar the Preest sayde the [unspec E] kynge: get the to Anatoth vnto thyne owne feldes, for thou arte worthy of death: but I wyll not at this tyme kyll the, bycause thou barest the arke of the Lorde God before Da∣uid my father, and bycause thou hast suffe∣red with my father in all his afflyctyons.

And so Salomon put away Abiathar from beynge preest vnto the Lorde: that he myght fulfyll the word{is} of the lorde which he spake ouer the house of Eli in Silo. Then tydyng{is} came also to Ioab: for Ioab had turned af∣ter Adonia ❀ though he turned not after Ab∣salom. And Ioab fled vnto the tabernacle of the Lorde, and caught holde on the hornes of the aulter. And it was tolde kynge Salomon, howe that Ioab fled vnto the tabernacle of the lorde, & stode by the aulter. Then Salo∣mon sent Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada, sayenge: go and fall vpon hym. And Bana∣iahu came in to the tabernacle of the lorde, & sayde vnto hym: thus sayth the kynge: come out. And he sayde: nay. But I wyll dye euen here. And Banaiahu brought the kyng word agayne, sayenge: thus sayde Ioab, & thus he answered me. And the kynge sayde: do euen as he hath sayde: smyte hym, and bury hym, that thou mayst take awaye the blood (which Ioab shed causelesse) from me, and from the house of my father. And the lorde shall bryng his blood vpon his owne heade, for he smote two men ryghtwyser & better then he, & slue them with the swerde (my father Dauid not knowynge therof:) euen Abner the sonne of Ner, captayne of the hooste of Israell, and Amasa the sonne of Iether captayne of the hoost of Iuda. Theyr blood shall therfore returne vpon the heade of Ioab, and on the [unspec F] heade of his seede for euer.

But vpon Dauid, & vpon his seede, & vpon his house, & vpō his seate shal there be peace for euermore of the lorde. So Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada went vp, and smote hym and slue hym, and buryed hym, in his owne house in the wyldernesse. And the kynge put Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada in his rowme ouer the hoost, and put Sadocke the preest in the rowme of Abiathar. And the kynge sent and called Semei & sayde vnto hym, buylde the an house in Ierusalem, and dwell there: & se that thou go not forth thence any whyther For be thou sure, that the day that thou goest out, & passest ouer the ryuer of Cedron, thou shalt dye that daye, & thy bloode shall be on thyne owne heade. And Semei sayde vnto the kynge. This is a good thynge: as my Lorde the kynge hath sayd, so wyl his seruaunt do. And Semei dwelte in Ierusalem many a daye. And it chaunced after thre yeares, that two of the seruauntes of Semei ran awaye vnto Achis son of Maacha kynge of Geth. And they tolde Semei, sayenge: beholde, thy seruauntes be in Geth. And Semei stode vp / and sadled his Asse, and gat hym to Geth to Achis, to seke his seruaūtes, & returned / and brought his seruauntes agayne from Geth.

And it was tolde Salomon, howe that [unspec G] Semei had gone from Ierusalem to Geth, and was come agayne. And the kynge sent / and called Semei, and sayde vnto hym: dyd I not charge the by the lorde with an othe, and testifyed vnto the, saynge: be sure, that when soeuer thou goest out, & walkest abrode any whyther, thou shalt dye the death? And thou saydest vnto me: it is good tydynges that I haue herde. Why then hast thou not kepte the othe of the lorde, and the cōmaundement that I charged the withall? The kyng sayde moreouer to Semei: thou remembrest all the wyckednes whiche thyne herte knoweth, and that thou dydest to Dauid my father. The lorde also shal brynge thy wyckednesse vpon thyne owne heade: and kynge Salomon shall be blessed, and the seate of Dauid stablysshed before the lorde for euer. So the kynge com∣maunded Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada, whiche went out, & smote hym that he dyed.

And the kyngdome was stablysshed in the hande of Salomon.

¶ Salomon taketh Pharaos doughter to wyfe. The Lorde appeareth to hym, and gyueth hym wysdom. The pleatynge of the two Harlottes who shulde owe the lyuyng chylde, and Salomons sentence therin.

CAPI. III.

SAlomon made affinite w^t Pharao kynge [unspec A] of Egypt, and toke Pharaos doughter / and brought her into ☞ the citye of Dauid, vntyll he had made an ende of buyldyng his owne house, and the house of the Lorde, and the wall of Ierusalem rounde aboute. Only the people sacrificed in aulters made on hyl∣les bycause there was no house buylde vnto

the name of the Lorde, vntyll those dayes.

And Salomon loued the Lorde, and walked in the ordinaunces of Dauid his father, saue only that he sacrificed & offered incense vpon aulters in hylles. And the kynge went to Gibeon, to offer there: for ☞ that was a spe∣cyall offerynge place. A thousand burntoffe∣rynges dyd Salomon offre vpon that aulter. And in Gibeon the Lorde appeared to Salo∣mon in a dreame by nyght. And God sayde: Aske what thou wylt, that I may gyue it the. And Salomon sayde: thou hast shewed vnto thy seruaunt Dauid my father, great mercy, when he walked before the in trueth in rygh∣tuousnes, and in playnesse of herte with the. And thou hast kept for hym this great mercy that thou hast gyuen hym a son, to syt on his seate: as it is come to passe this daye. And nowe (O Lorde my God) it is thou that hast made thy seruaunt kynge in steade of Dauid [unspec B] my father. And I am but yonge, and wote not howe to ☞ go out and in. And thy ser∣uaunt is in the myddes of thy people, whiche thou hast chosen: And verely, the people are so many, that they can not be tolde nor nom∣bred for multitude. Gyue therfore vnto thy seruaunt an vnderstandynge herte, to iudge thy people: that I maye dyscerne bytwene good, and bad. For who is able to iudge this, thy so myghtye a people? And this pleased the Lorde well, that Salomon had desyred this thynge. And God sayde vnto hym: By∣cause thou hast asked this thynge, and hast not asked longe lyfe, neyther hast asked ry∣ches, nor ☞ the soule of thyne enemyes, but hast asked vnderstandynge and discrecyon in iudgement. Beholde, I haue done accor∣dynge to thy peticyon: For I haue gyuen the a wyse and an vnderstandynge herte, so that there was none lyke the before the, neyther after the shall any aryse lyke vnto the. And I haue also gyuen the that whiche thou hast not asked, euen rychesse and honoure: so that there shall be no kyng lyke the all thy dayes.

And yf thou wylte walke in my wayes, to [unspec C] kepe myne ordynaunces and my cōmaunde∣mentes ( as Dauid thy father dyd walke) I wyll lengthen thy dayes. When Salomon awoke, beholde, it was a dreame. And he came to Ierusalem, and stode before the arke of the testament of the lorde, & offered burnt∣offerynges, & peaceofferynges, and made a feast to all his seruaūtes. ✚ Then came there two women (that were harlottes) vnto the kynge, and stode before hym. And the one wo¦man sayde: Oh my lorde, I and this woman dwell in one house. And I was delyuered of a chylde with her in the house. And the thyrde daye after that I was delyuered, she was de∣lyuered also: and we were togyther, and no straunger with vs in the house, saue we two. And this wyues chylde dyed in the nyght, for she smothered it. And she arose at mydnyght and toke my son from my syde (whyle thyne handmayd slept) & layde it in her bosom, and put her dead chylde in my bosom. And when I rose vp to gyue my chylde sucke: beholde, it was deade. But when I had loked vpon it in the mornyng: Beholde / it was not my son [unspec D] whiche I dyd beare. The other woman sayd: it is not so: But my son lyueth, & thy sonne is deade. And she sayd agayne: No, but thy son is deade, & my sonne is a lyue. And thus they pleated before the kynge. Then sayde the kynge: the one sayeth, this that is alyue is my son, and the deade is thyne. And the other sayeth naye: But thy son is deade, & the lyue chylde is myne. And the kynge sayde: brynge me a swerde. And they brought a swerde be∣fore the kynge. And the kynge sayd: Deuyde the lyuynge chylde in two, and gyue the one halfe to the one, and the other to the other.

Then spake the woman (whose the lyuyng chylde was) vnto the kynge (for her bowels yerned vpon her son) and sayd: I beseche the my lorde, gyue her the lyuyng chylde, and in no wyse sley it. But the other sayde: let it be neyther myne nor thyne, but deuyde it. Then the kynge answered and sayd: gyue her the lyuynge chylde, & sley it not, for she is the mo¦ther therof. And all they of Israell herde of the iudgement (whiche the kynge had iud∣ged) & feared the kyng: for they sawe that the wysdom of god was in hym, to do iustyce. ⊢

¶ The prynces and rulers vnder Salomon. The pur∣ueyaunce for his vyttayles. The nombre of his horses, and of his parables.

CAPI. IIII.

AND so kynge Salomon was kyng ouer [unspec A] all Israell. And these were his Lordes: Azariahu the son of Sadock the Preest: Elihoreph and Ahia the sonn{is} of Sisa, scry∣bes. Iehosaphath the sonne of Ahilud, the re¦corder. Banaiahu the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the hoost. And Sadocke and Abi∣athar were the preest{is}. And Azariahu the son of Nathan was ouer ☞ the offycers. And Zabud the sonne of Nathan was a preest, the kynges companyon. And Ahisar stewarde of housholde: And Adoniram the son of Ab∣da was ouer the trybutes. And Salomon had twelue offycers ouer all Israell, whiche prouided vyttayle for the kynge & his house∣holde: eche man his moneth in a yeare, made prouisyon for necessary thynges.

And these are theyr names: The sonne of [unspec B] Hur in mount Ephraim: the sonne of Dekar in Makaz, and in Saalbin and Bethsames Elon and Bethhauā: the sonne of Hesed in Aruboth, to whome pertayned socho and all the lande of Hepher: the sonne of Abinadab in all the regyon of Dor, whiche had Ta∣pheth the doughter of Salomon to wyfe: Baana the sonne of Ahilud was ouer Tha∣nach and Magiddo, and ouer all Bethsan whiche is by Zarthana beneth Iezrael, from Bethsan to the playne of Mehola, euen vnto the place that is ouer agaynst Iechmean. The son of Gaber had Ramoth Gilead, and his were the townes of Iair the son of Ma∣nasse, whiche are in Gilead, and vnder hym was the regyon of Argob whiche is in Ba∣san. lx. great cityes with walles and barres of Brasse. Ahinadab the sonn{is} of Hiddo had Mahenaim: Ahimaaz was in Nephthalim / and he ••oke Basmath, the doughter of Sa∣lomon to wyfe: Baana the son of Husai was Aser, and in Aloth: Iehosaphat the sonne of Paruah was in Isachar. Semei the son of Ela was in Beniamin: Gaber the sonne of Uri / was in the countrey of Gilead, the lande of Sehon kynge of the Amorites and of Og kynge of Basan, and was offycer alone in the lande. And Iuda & Israell were many, [unspec C] euen as the sande of the see in nōbre, eatyng, drynkynge, and makynge mery. And Sa∣lomon reygned ☞ ouer all the kyngdoms / from the ryuer, vnto the lande of the Phi∣listines: euen vnto the border of Egypt, and they brought presentes, and serued Salo∣mon all the dayes of his lyfe.

And Salomons breade for one day, was xxx. quarters of manchet floure, thre score quarters of meale: ten stalled oxen, & twentie out of the pastures, and an hundred shepe, besyde hartes buckes & wylde gootes ❀ and capons. For he ruled in all the regyon on the other syde Euphrates, from Thiphsah, to Aza, ouer all the kynges on the other syde the ryuer. And he had peace with all his ser∣uauntes on euery syde. And Iuda and Isra∣ell dwelt without feare, euery man vnder his vyne and vnder his fygge tre, from Dan to Beerseba, all the dayes of Salomon.

And Salomon had fourtye thousande [unspec D] stalies of horses for charettes, & twelue thou¦sande horsemen. And the offycers prouyded ••yttayle for kynge Salomon, and for al that ••ame out of any place to kynge Salomons table, euery man his moneth, so that there lacked nothynge. Barlye also and strawe for the horses and mules, brought they vnto the place where the offycers were, euery man in his offyce. And God gaue Salomon wys∣dome and vnderstandynge excedyng moche / and a ☞ large herte, euen as the sande that is on the see shore, & Salomons wysdome ex celled the wysdome of all the Chyldren of the East countrey, & all the wysdome of Egypte: For he was wyser then al men, yea then Ethā the Ezrahite, & Heman, Chal••oll, & Darda the sonnes of Maholl. And his name was spoken of, thorowout all nacyons on euery syde. And Salomon spake ☞. iii. M. prouer¦bes And his songes were a thousand & fyue. And he spake of trees, euen from the Cedat tre that groweth in Libanon, vnto the Isope that spryngeth out of the wall. He spake also of beastes, of foules, of wormes, & of fysshes. And there came of all nacyons to heare the wysdome of Salomon, and from all kynges of the earth, which had herde of his wysdom.

¶ Kynge Hi••am sendeth Ledar tymbre to the buyldynge of the Temple. The descryptyon of the workes.

CAPI. V.

ANd Hiram kynge of Tyre sent his ser∣uaūtes [unspec A] vnto Salomō, for he had herde that they had anoynted hym kynge in the rowme of his father: For Hiram was euer a louer of Dauid. And Salomon sent to Hiram, sayenge: thou knowest how that Dauid my father coulde not buylde an house vnto the name of the Lorde his God, for the warres which were about him on euery syde, vntyll the lorde put them vnder the soles of his feete. But nowe the Lorde my God hath gyuen me rest on euery syde, so that there is neyther aduersarye nor any euyll plage. And beholde, I am determyned to buylde an house vnto the name of the lorde my god, as the Lorde spake vnto Dauid my father, say∣enge: thy son whom I wyll set vpon thy seate for the, he shall huylde an house vnto my name. Nowe therfore, cōmaunde thou that [unspec B] they hewe me Cedartrees out of Libanon. And my seruauntes shall be with thyne, and vnto the, wyll I gyue the hyre for thy seruaū¦tes, accordynge to all soche thynges as thou shalte appoynt, for thou knowest, that there are not amonge vs, that can skyll to hewe tymbre, lyke vnto the Sidons. When Hiram herde the wordes of Salomon, he reioysed greatly, & sayde: Blessed be the lorde this day which hath gyuen vnto Dauid a wyse sonne ouer this myghtye people. And Hiram sent to Salomon, sayenge: I haue considered the thyng{is} whiche thou sentest to me for, and wyl accomplyshe all thy desyre, concernyng tym∣bre of Cebar trees, and fyre. My seruauntes

shall brynge them from Libanon to the see. And I wyll conuay them by shyppe vnto the [unspec C] place that thou shalte shewe me, & wyll cause them to be discharged there, & thou shalte re∣ceyue them. And thou shalt do me a pleasure agayne, yf thou minystre fode for my house. And so Hiram gaue Salomon Cedar trees, and fyrre trees, accordynge to all his desyre. And Salomon gaue Hiram. xx. M. quarters of wheate for fode to his houshold, & twentye buttes of pure oyle. Thus moche gaue Sa∣lomon to Hiram yeare by yeare.

And the lorde gaue Salomon wysdome, as he promysed hym. And there was peace bytwene Hiram & Salomon, and they two were confedered togyther. And kyng Salo∣mon raysed ❀ a summe out of al Israel. And the summe was. xxx. thousande men, whome he sent to Libanon. x. M. a moneth by course so that when they had ben one moneth in Li∣banon, they abode two monethes at home.

And Adoniram was ouer the summe. And Salomon had. lx. and x. M. that bare burdens, and foure score thousande masons in the mountaynes, besydes the lord{is}, whome Salomon appoynted to ouer se the worke / euen. iii. M. &. CCC. Whiche ruled the peo∣ple ❀ (and them) that wrought in the worke. And the kynge cōmaunded them to brynge great stones, trestones, and hewed stones for the foūdacion of the house. And Salomons masons and the masons of Hiram dyd hewe them, with the workemen of the corners. And so they prepared both tymbre / and stones for the buyldynge of the house.

¶ Howe, and when the Temple was buylded.

CAPI. VI.

ANd it came to passe that in the foure hūdred, [unspec A] and foure score yere (after the chyl¦dren of Israell were come out of the lande of Egypt) and in the fourth yeare of the reygne of Salomon vpon Israell, and in the moneth ☞ Ziff, which is the seconde mo∣neth he began to buylde the house of the lorde. And the house whiche Salomon buylt for the lorde, was thre score cubites long / and twentye cubytes brode, and thyrtye cubytes hygh. And he made a porche before the body of the temple, whiche was twentye cubytes longe after the bredeth of the house, and ten cubytes brode, euen in the forefront of the house. And in the house he made wyndowes, brode without, and narow within. And in the wall of the house, he made chambers rounde aboute, (euen in the wall{is} of the house) roūde aboute the temple and the queer, and made sydes roūde aboute. The neythermost cham∣bre was fyue cubytes brode, and the myddle was syxe cubytes brode, and the thyrde was seuen cubites brode. For without in the wall of the house he layde beames roūde aboute / that the beames of the chambers shulde not be fastened in the walles of the house. And the house was buylte of stoone, made perfyte alredy before it was brought thyther, so that there was neyther hammer nor are, eyther any toole of yron herde in the house, whyle it was in buyldynge.

The dore of the myddle chambre was in [unspec B] the ryght syde of the house: and men went vp with wyndyng steares in to the mydle cham∣bre, and out of the myddle, in to the thyrde. And so he buylte the house and fynysshed it, and roufte it with beames of Cedar tymbre▪ And then he buylte chambres to all the tem∣ple, of fyue cubytes heyght / and they were ioyned to the house, with beames of Cedar.

And the worde of the Lorde came to Sa∣lomon, saynge: concernynge the house which thou arte in buyldynge, yf thou wylte walk•• in myne ordynaūces, and execute my lawes▪ and kepe all my cōmaundementes, to walk•• in them: then wyl I make good vnto the, my promysse, which I promysed Dauid thy fa∣ther. And I wyll dwell among the chyldren of Israell, & wyll not forsake my people Is∣raell. Salomon therfore buylte the house. & finysshed it, and syled the walles of the house within, with bordes of Cedar tree: euen from the pauement of the house vnto the rofe, dyd he syle the wall{is} of it within, with Cedar tre / and borded the floore of the house with plan∣kes of fyrxe. And he syled twentye cubytes ☞ in the syd{is} of the queer of the temple, both floore & walles, with bordes of Cedar, & dres∣sed it within in the secrete place of the temple euen in the moost holye. And the fyrst house / that is to say, the body of the temple without was fourtye cubytes longe.

And the Cedar of the house within, was carued with knoppes and grauen with flou∣res, [unspec C] and all was Cedar tymbre, so that no stone was sene. And the queer that was with in the tēmple, he prepared, to set there the arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde. And the queer before, was twenty cubytes longe, and twentye cubytes in bredth, and twentye cu∣bytes in heyght. And he syled it with pure golde, and borded ☞ the aulter with Cedar. And Salomon also syled the house within with pure golde. And he made golden barres run alonge the queer, which he had couered with golde. And the hole house, he ouer layde with golde, vntyll he had ended it. And the

aulter that was in the queer he ouer layde with golde also. And w^t in the queer he made two Cherubins of Olyue tree, ten cubytes hygh. Fyue cubites longe was a wyng of the one cherub, & fyue cubites long was a wyng of the other cherub: so that frō the vttermost parte of one wynge vnto the vttermost parte of the other, were ten cubytes. And the other Cherub was ten cubytes hyghe also, so that both the cherubs were of one measure, & one syse: For the heygth of the one Cherub was ten cubytes, & so was it of the other. And he put the cherubs w^t in the inner house. And the cherub{is} stretched out theyr wyng{is}, so that the one wyng of the one touched the one wal, & the one wyng of the other touched the other wall. And the other two wyng{is} of them tou∣ched one another in the mydd{is} of the house. And he ouerlayde the cherubs with golde. [unspec D] And in all the wall{is} of the house roūde about he made fygures of carued & syled worke: as namely pyctures of Cherubes, and Palme trees and grauen floures, both within, in the queer, & without in the temple. And the floore of the house he couered with golde, bothe within in the queer, and also without in the temple. And in the enterynge of the queer he made two dores of Olyue tree: And both the vpper & two syde post{is} were fiue square. The two dores also were of olyue tre, & he graued them with grauynge of Cherubes & Palme trees, & grauen floures, & couered them with golde, & layde thyn plates of golde vpon the Cherubs and palme trees. And in lyke ma∣ner dyd he in the dore of the temple, sauynge that the post{is} were of olyue tree, foure square The two dores were of fyrre tree, and eyther doore with two foldynge leaues, he graued theron Cherubs palme trees, & floures, and couered them with golde, whiche was layde thyn vpon the carued worke. And he buylte the inner courte with thre rowes of hewed stone, and one rowe of Cedar wood. In the fourth yere, was the foundacion of the house of the Lorde layde: euen in the moneth Ziff: And in the eleuenth yeare, ☞ in the moneth Bull (whiche is the eyght moneth) was the house full finysshed, thorowout al the partes therof, and accordynge to al the fassyon of it. And so was he seuen yere in buyldynge it.

¶ The buyldynge of the house of Salomon. The house of Pharaos doughter. The forme of the pyllers of brasse / of the brasen Sockets. &c.

CAPI. VII.

BUt Salomon was buyldyng his owne [unspec A] house. xiii. yeares, and finysshed it all. And he buylte the house ❀ ☞ in the wood of Libanon, an hundred cubytes longe, & fyftie cubytes brode, & thirtye cubytes hyghe. And (it stode) vpon foure rowes of Cedar pillers, and Cedar beames (were layde) vpon the pyllers. And the roufe was Cedar aboue vpō the beames that laye on the pyllers, euen. xlv beames in fyftene rowes. And there were wyndowes in thre rowes: and the wyndowes were one agaynst another thre folde. And the dores with the syde postes, & the vpper poste, were foure square, and had wyndowes one agaynst another thre folde. And he made a porche by the pyllers (that bare vp the house) fyftye cubites longe, & thyrtye cubytes brode and that porche was before those, & the other pyllers: For there was ☞ a thycke tree set be¦fore them. Then he made a porche to syt and iudge in, syled with Cedar ☞ thorowout all the pauementes. And his owne house (that he kepte resydence in: and that was in ano∣ther courte without the porche) was made of the same worke. And then Salomon made an house for Pharos doughter, (whom he had taken to wyfe) lyke vnto the fassyon of that porche. And all these were of the best stones, [unspec B] hewed after a measure, & sawed with sawes / within, and without, from the foundacyon vnto the beames (that laye aboue, after the measure) and euen so on the out syde toward the great courte. And the foundacyon was layde vpon ryche stones and that very great stones: wherof some were ten cubites, & some eyght cubytes. And aboue were good stones squared after a certayne rule, and couered with Cedar. And the greate courte rounde a∣boute was w^t thre rowes of hewed stone, and one rowe of Cedar plankes, after the maner of the inner courte of the house of the Lorde, and of the porche of the temple. And kynge Salomon sent & fet one Hiram out of Tire, a wedowes sonne of the trybe of Nephtalim, his father beinge a man of Tyre. Which Hi∣ram was a craftes man in Brasse / full of wysdom, vnderstandynge, and cunnynge: to worke all maner of worke in brasse. And he came to kynge Salomon, & wrought all his worke. For he cast two pyllers of brasse, of xviii. cubytes hyght a pece, and a strynge of xii. cubytes dyd cōpasse ether of them about.

And he made two heade peces of molten brasse (after the fassyon of a Crowne) to set [unspec C] on the topp{is} of the pyllers: The heyght of the one heade pece conteyned fyue cubytes, & the heyght of the other head pece cōteyned fyue cubites also, he made also net worke, and ga•• landes of cheyne worke, vpō the heade peces that were on the top of the pillers, euen seuen (rowes) vpon the one headpece, & seuen vpon

the other. And so he made the pyllers, & two rowes roūde aboute, in the one wrythē worke to couer the headpeces that were vpon the Pomgarnates. And thus dyd he also for the other headpeace. And the headpeces that were on the toppes of the pyllers, couered he aboue w^t a curyous worke of roses, towarde the palace by the space of. iiii. cubites. Lyke∣wyse, vnder the headpeces in those. ii. pyllers beneth, ouer agaynst the myddes, and before the net worke. And vpō the seconde headpece were there two hundred Pomegarnates in two rowes rounde aboute. And he set vp the pyllers in the porche of the temple. [unspec D]

And when he had set vp the ryght pyller, he called the name therof Iachin: and whē he had set vp the lefte Pyller, he called the name therof Boaz. And in the top of the pyllers was a worke of roses, and so was the workmanshyp of the pyllers fynysshed. And he made a molten lauatory, ten cubites wyde from brym to brym, rounde in compasse, and fyue cubites hygh. And a stryng of thyrtie cu¦bites dyd compasse it aboute, and vnder the brym of it there were knoppes rounde about ten in one cubite: and they compassed the la∣uatory rounde about. And the knoppes were cast with it, in two rowes, when it was cast. And it stode on twelue oxen: of whiche. iii. lo∣ked towarde the north. iii. towarde the west, thre towarde the South, and thre towarde the East, and the lauatorye stode vpon them, and all theyr hynderpartes were inwarde. It was an hande bredthe thycke, and the brym wrought lyke the brym of a cup with floures of lylyes. And it contayned two thousande ☞ Bates. And he made ten sockets of brasse, foure cubites longe, and foure cubites brode apece, and thre cubites hygh. And the worke of the sockers was on this maner. They had sydes, & the sydes were bytwene the ledges. And on the sydes that were bytwene the led∣ges, were lyons, oxen and Cherubs.

And lykewyse vpon the ledges that were [unspec E] aboue: & beneth the lyons and oxen, were cer∣tayne addicions made of thyn worke. And vnder euery socket were foure brasen wheles and bordes of brasse. And in the four corners therof, were vndersetters (vnder the laua∣torie) cast, eche ouer agaynst his felowe. And the stalke of the lauatorye was in the mydle of it, ❀ (vvhere it is sene on the oursyde) one cu∣byte hyghe, and a cubyte and an halfe round and in the heyght of it were grauen workes, whose sydes were made four square, and not rounde. And vnder the sydes were foure wheles, and the axeltrees ioyned faste to the bottome. And the heyght of euerye whele was a cubyte and an halfe. And the worke∣manshyp of the wheles was lyke the worke of a charet whele. And the axeltrees, nauels, spokes & shaftes were all molten. And there were. iiii. vndersetters in the. iiii. corners of one socket: and the vndersetters were of the verye bottome selfe. And in the heyght of the bottome was there a roūde compasse of halfe a cubite hye: and in the heyght of the bottom there proceded both ledges & sydes out of the same: For in the bordes of the ledges & on the sydes he had grauen pyctures of Cherubins lyons, & palme trees, one by an other rounde aboute. Thus made he the ten sockets after this maner. And they had all one fassyon of castyng, one measure, and one syse.

Then made he ten lauers of brasse, one lauer [unspec F] conteynynge. xl. Bathes: and one lauer was foure cubites, and vpon euery one of the ten sockets he put one lauer. And he put fyue of those sockets on the ryght syde of the house, and other fyue on the lefte. And he set the la∣uatorie on the ryght syde of the house East∣warde and towarde the South. And Hiram made pottes, shouels, & basens, & so fynyshed all the worke that he made to kyng Salomō for the house of the Lorde: that is to say, two pyllers & two rounde heade peces that were to be set on the toppes of the two pyllers, and foure hundred Pomegarnates for the two net workes, (euen two rowes of Pomgarna∣tes in one net worke) to couer the two head∣peces that were to be set on the toppes of the pyllers. And the ten sockets, & ten lauers on the sockets. The lauatorie, & twelue oxen vn∣der it: & pottes, shouels & basens. And al these vessels whiche Hiram made to kyng Salo∣mon for the house of the lorde, were of bryght [unspec G] brasse. In the playne of Iordan dyd the kyng cast them: euen in the thycke claye bytwene Socoh and Zarthan. And Salomon lefte al the vessels vnweyed, bycause they were so ex¦cedynge many, neyther founde they oute the weyght of the brasse. And so Salomon made all the vessels that perteyned vnto the house of the Lorde: the golden aulter, & the golden table, wheron the shewbread was. And fyue candelstyckes, for the right syde, and fyue for the lefte, before the queer of pure golde: with floures, lampes, and snoffers of golde, and bolles, flat peces, basens, spones & masoures of pure golde: & hyndges made he of golde both for the dores of the queer (the place most holy) and for the dores of the temple also.

And so was ended al the worke that kynge Salomon made for the house of the Lorde▪

And Salomon brought in the thynges which Dauid his father had dedicated: euen the syluer golde & vessels, and layde them vp among the treasures of the house of the lord.

¶ The A••he is borne in to the temple. A cloude fylleth the temple. The temple is blessed.

CAPI. VIII.

THen Salomon gathered togyther [unspec A] the elders of Israell, all the heades of the tribes, (and them that were captay∣nes amonge the fathers of the Chyldren of Israell) vnto hym in Ierusalem, that they myght brynge vp the arke of the appoynt∣ment of the Lorde out of the citye of Da∣uid, whiche is Sion. And all the men of Is∣raell assembled vnto kynge Salomon to the feast that falleth in the moneth ☞ Ethanim, whiche is the seuenth moneth.

And all the elders of Israell were come / and the preestes toke vp the arke. They bare the arke of the Lorde, in to the tabernacle of wytnesse, and al the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle: those dyd the preestes and the Leuites bere. And kynge Salomon & all the congregacyon of Israel that were assembled vnto hym (& went with hym before the arke,) dyd offre shepe and oxen, that coulde not be tolde nor nombred for multitude. And so the preest{is} brought the arke of the appoyntment of the lorde vnto his place, euē into the queer of the temple and place most holy, vnder the wynges of the Cherubs. Forthe Cherubs stretched out theyr wynges ouer the place of the arke, & couered bothe it & also the staues therof an hygh vpon it. And they drewe oute the staues, that the endes of them myght ap∣peare out of the holy place within the queer, but they were not sene without.

And there they haue bene vnto this daye / [unspec B] ☞ and there was nothyng in the arke, saue the two tables of stone, whiche Moses put there at Horeb, in the which (tables) the lorde made an appoyntmente with the chyldren of Irael, when he brought them out of the land of Egypte. And it fortuned that when the preestes were come out of the holy place, the cloude fylled the house of the Lorde, that the preestes coulde not stand & minister, bycause of the cloude: for the glorye of the Lorde had fylled the house of the lorde. Then spake Sa∣lomon: the Lorde sayd that he wolde dwel in the darke cloude. I haue buylte the an house to dwell in, ☞ an habitacion for the to abyde in for euer. And the kynge turned his face, and blessed all the congregacion of Is∣raell, and all the cōgregacion of Israel stode styll. And he sayd: Blessed be the lorde God of Israel, whiche spake with his mouthe vnto Dauid my father and hath ☞ with his hande fulfylled it, sayenge. Synce the daye that I brought my people Israell out of E∣gypte, I chose no citye of all the tribes of Is∣rael, to builde an house, that my name might be therin: But I haue chosen Dauid, to be ruler ouer my people Israel.

And it was in the herte of Dauid my fa∣ther to buylde an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israell. And the Lorde sayde vnto Dauid my father. Where as it was thyne hert to buylde an house vnto my name thou dydest well, that thou wast so mynded. Neuertheles thou shalt not buylde the house but thy sonne that shall come out of thy loy∣nes, he shal buylde the house vnto my name. And the lorde hath made good his word that [unspec C] he spake. And I am rysen vp in the roume of Dauid my father, & syt on the seate of Israel as the Lorde promysed, and haue buylte an house for the name of the Lorde God of Is∣rael. And I haue prepared therin a place for the arke, wherin is the couenaunt of the lorde whiche he made with oure fathers, when he brought them oute of the lande of Egypte. Salomon stode before the aulter of the lorde in the syght of al the congregacion of Israel and stretched out his hand{is} towarde heuen, and sayd: Lorde God of Israel, there is no God lyke the in heuen aboue, or in the earthe beneth, thou that kepest couenaunt and mer∣cye for thy seruauntes that walke before the with all theyr herte: thou that hast kepte with thy seruaunt Dauid my father, that thou pro∣mysedst hym. Thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfylled it with thyne hand, as it is come to passe this daye. Therfore, nowe Lorde God of Israell, kepe with thy seruaunt Dauid my father, that thou promy¦sedst hym, saynge: Thou shalte not be w^t∣out a man in my syght to syt on the seate of Israel: so that thy children take hede to theyr way, that they walke before me, as thou hast walked in my syght. And nowe (o god) of Is∣raell, let thy worde be verified, whiche thou spakest vnto thy seruaunt Dauid my father.

Wyll God in dede dwel on the earth? Be∣holde the heuens, and heuens of all heuens are not able to conteyne the: And how shulde then this house, do it, that I haue buylded? Haue thou therfore respecte vnto the prayer of thy seruaunt, and to his supplicacion (O Lorde my god) to heare the voyce and prayer before the this daye, that thyne eyes maye be open towarde this house, nyght & daye, euen towarde this place of whiche thou hast sayd,

my name shall be there) that thou mayste herken vnto the prayer, whiche thy seruaunt prayeth in this place.

And regarde thou the supplicacion of thy [unspec D] seruaunt and of thy people Israel, when they pray in this place: And heare thou in heuen thy dwellynge place, and when thou hearest, haue mercye. Yf any man trespasse agaynst his neyghboure, & there go an othe bytwene them, and the one compel the other, and come swearynge before thyne aulter in this house, then herken thou in heuen, and worke and iudge thy seruauntes, that thou condempne the vngodly to brynge his waye vpon his heade, and iustifye the ryghteous, to gyue hym accordyng to his ryghteousnesse.

When thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemye, bycause they haue synned agaynste the, and afterwarde turne agayne to the, and knowlege vnto thy name and praye and make supplycacyon vnto the in this house: then heare thou in heuen, to be mercyfull vnto the synne of thy people Is∣rael, and bryng them agayne vnto the lande, whiche thou gauest vnto theyr fathers.

If heuen be shut vp, and there be no rayne, bycause they haue synned agaynst the yet yf they praye in this place, and knowlege vnto thy name, and turne from theyr synne, thorowe thy scourgynge of them: then heare thou in heuen, and be mercyfull ❀ (vnto the synnes) of thy seruauntes, and of thy people Israel, that thou shewe them a good waye to walke in, & gyue rayne vpon thy lande that thou hast gyuen vnto thy people to enherite.

If there be in the lande derth, or pestylence, brought, blastyng, greshopper or caterpyller, or yf theyr enemye beseyge them in the lande of theyr cityes, or what soeuer plage or sycke∣nesse chaunce: then what prayers and sup∣plicacion soeuer be made of any man of all thy people Israell, whiche shall knowledge euery man the plage of his owne herte, and stretche forth his hand{is} towarde this house. Heare thou then in heuen, euen in thy dwel∣lyng place, and be mercyfull, and worke, and gyue euery man accordynge to all his wayes (euen as thou that onely knowest his herte, for thou onely knowest the hertes of all the chyldren of men:) that they may feare the as longe as they lyue in the lande, whiche thou gauest vnto our fathers.

And lykewyse, yf a straunger that is not [unspec E] of thy people Israell come oute of a farre countrey forthy names sake (for they shall heare of thy great name, and of thy myghtie hande and of thy stretched oute arme) and shall come and praye in this house. Therfore heare thou in heuen thy dwellynge place, and do all that the straūger calleth to the for: that all nacions of the earth may know thy name and feare the, as do thy people Israell: and that they may knowe that thy name is called vpon in this house whiche I haue buylte.

If thy people go out to battayle agaynst theyr enemy, whyther soeuer thou shalt sende them, and shall pray vnto the (O Lorde to∣warde the way of the citye whiche thou hast chosen, and towarde the house that I haue buylte forthy name:) heare y^u in heuen theyr prayer and supplicacion, & iudge theyr cause.

If they synne agaynst the (for there is no man that synneth not) and thou be angry with them, and delyuer them in to the hande of theyr enemyes, so that they carye them a∣way prysoners vnto the lande of theyr ene∣myes, whyther far or neare, yet yf they turne agayne vnto theyr hertes in the lande (to the whiche they be caryed away captiue,) and re∣turne and pray vnto the in the lande of theyr enemyes sayenge: we haue synned, we haue done wyckedlye, and haue cōmytted vngod∣lynesse, and so turne agayne vnto the with al theyr herte, and all theyr soule in the lande of theyr enemyes (whiche led them awaye cap∣tiue) and pray vnto the, towarde the waye of theyr lande, which thou gauest vnto theyr fa∣thers, and towarde the citye which thou hast chosen, and towarde the house which I haue buylte for thy name: Then heare thou theyr prayer & supplicacion in heuen thy dwel∣lynge place, and iudge theyr cause: & be mer∣cyfull vnto thy people, that haue synned a∣gaynst the, & vnto all theyr iniquities (wher∣by they haue done wickedly agaynst the) and get thou them the fauour of those whiche led them away captiue, that they may haue com∣passyon [unspec F] on them. For they be thy people, and thyne enheritaunce, whiche thou broughtest out of Egypte, euen from the myddes of the fournace of yron. And let thyne eyes be open vnto the prayer of thy seruaunt, and vnto the prayer of thy people Israel to herken vnto them, in all that they call for vnto the. For y^u dydest seperate them, from among all the na¦cions of the earth, (to be thyne owne enheri∣taunce) as thou saydest by the hande of Mo∣ses thy seruaunt, when thou broughtest oure fathers out of Egypte, O lorde God.

And when Salomon had made an ende of prayeng all this prayer and supplicacion vnto the Lorde, he arose from before the aul∣ter of the Lorde, and from knelynge on his knees, and from stretchynge of his hand{is} vp

to heuen, and stode and blessed all the congre gacion of Israel with a loude voyce saynge:

Blessed be the Lorde, that hath gyuen rest vnto his people Israel, accordyng to all that he promised: there hath not fayled one word of all the good promyse, whiche he promysed by the hande of Moses his seruaunt. The Lorde our God be with vs, as he was with our fathers, & forsake vs not, neyther leaue vs: but that he maye bowe our hertes vnto hym, that we maye walke in all his wayes, & kape his cōmaundementes, his statutes and his lawes, which he cōmaunded our fathers. And these my wordes whiche I haue prayed before the Lorde, be nygh vnto the Lorde our god day and nyght, that he defende the cause of his seruaunt, and the cause of his people Israell (what thynge socuer chaunce at any tyme) that al nacions of the earth may know that the Lorde is God, and none but he.

Let your herte therfore be perfyte with the [unspec G] lorde our God, that ye walke his statutes, and kepe his cōmaundementes, as this day. And the kynge and all Israell with hym, of∣fered offerynges before the lorde. And Sa¦lomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerynges vnto the Lorde, and he offered vnto the lorde xxii. thousante oxen, and an hundred and.xx. thousande shepe: And so the kyng and al the chyldren of Israel dedicated the house of the lorde. The same daye dyd the kynge halo we the mydle of the courte, that was before the house of the lorde: for there he offered burnt offerynges meat offeryng{is} and the fat of the peaccofferynges, bycause the brasen aulter that was before the Lorde, was to lytle to re∣ceyue the burnofferynges, meateofferynges, & the fat of the peaccofferynges. And Salo∣mon helde that same tyme an hygh feast and all Israell with hym, a very great congrega¦cion, euen from the entryng in of Hemath vn¦to the ryuer of Egypte, before the lorde oure God, seuen dayes & seuen dayes, euen. xiiii. dayes. And the. vill. daye he sent the people away. And they blessed the kynge and wente vnto theyr tentes ioyous and with glad hert, bycause of all the goodnesse that the Lorde had done for Dauid his seruaunt, and for Is∣rael his people.

¶ The Lorde appeareth the seconde tyme to Salomon. Salomon gyueth townes to Hirem. The Lananytes become tret 〈◊〉〈◊〉. He sendeth shyppes for golde. He vnytoeth many Litres.

CAPI. IX.

ANd when Salomō had finysshed the [unspec A] buyldyng of the house of the lorde, and the kynges palace, and all that he had in his mynde, and was apoynted to make: the lorde appeared vnto hym agayne, as he appeared to hym at Gibeon. And the Lorde sayde vnto hym: I haue herde thy prayer and thy inter∣cessyon, that thou hast made before me. For I haue halowed this house (which thou hast buylte,) to put my name there for euer, and myne eyes, & myne herte shal be there perpe∣tually. And yf thou wylte walke before me (as Dauid thy father walked, in purenesse of herte & in ryghteousnes) to do al that I haue cōmaunded the, & wylte kepe my statutes, & my lawes, then wyll I stablysshe the seate of thy kyngdom vpon Israel for euer, as I pro¦mysed to Dauid thy father, sayenge. [unspec B]

Thou shalte not be without a man vpon the seate of Israel. But and yf ye and youre chyldren turne awaye from me, and wyll not kepe my cōmaundementes and my statutes (whiche I haue set before you) but go & serue other Goddes, and worshyp them: then wyll I wede Israel out of the lande, which I haue gyuen them. And this house whiche I haue halowed for my name, wyl I cast out of my syght. And Israell shall be a prouerbe and a fable among al nacions. And this house shal be taken away: so that euery one that passeth by it, shall be astonyed, and shall hysse, & they shall saye: why hath the lorde done this vn¦to this lande & to this house? And they shall answere: bycause they forsoke the lorde theyr god, whiche brought theyr fathers out of the lande of Egypte, and haue taken holde vpon other Goddes, and haue worshypped them, & serued them: therfore hath the Lorde brought vpon them all this euyll. And it fortuned, that ☞ at the ende of twentye yeres, Salo∣mon fynysshed the buyldyng of the two hou∣ses, that is to wete, the house of the Lorde, & the kynges palace.

And Hiram the kynge of Tyre broughte [unspec C] Salomon tymbre of Cedar, and Fyrre trees, golde, and what soeuer he desyred. And Sa∣lomon agayne gaue Hiram twentie cityes in the lande of Galile. And Hiram came oute from Tyre to se the cityes whiche Salomon had gyuen hym, and they pleased hym not. And he sayde: What cityes are these, whiche thou hast gyuen me, my brother? And he cal∣led them the lande of ☞ Cabull vnto this daye. And Hiram sente the Kynge syxe score hundred weyght of golde. And this is the summe, whiche kynge Salomon raysed for a tribute when he buylded the house of the Lorde and his owne house, and ☞ Millo and the wall of Ierusalem, and Hazoer, and Meg••ddo, and Gazer.

For Pharao kyng of Egypte went vp, and

toke Gazer, and burnt it with fyre, and slue the Cananites that dwelt in the cytie, & gaue it for a present vnto his doughter, Salomons wyfe. And Salomon buylte Gazer and Beth Horon the nether: and Baalath and ☞ Tha∣mar in the wyldernesse and in the lande: and all the treasure Cityes that Salomon had, ❀ (and vvere vnvvalled, those he made strong.) and cites for his charettes, and cities for his horsemen, and al that Salomon desyred, and wolde buylde in Ierusalem, in Libanon, and in all the lande of his dominyon. And all the people that were lefte of the Amorites, He∣thites, Pheresites, Heuites, and Iesubites, (whiche were not of the chyldren of Israell) theyr chyldren that were left after them in the lande, whom the chyldren of Israel also were not able to destroye. Those dyd Salomon compell to brynge tribute vnto this day.

But of the chyldren of Israel dyd Salomon make no bonde men. But they were men of war, his ministers, his lordes, his captaynes, and rulers of his charettes, and of his horse¦men.

And these were the lordes that were set ouer [unspec D] Salomons worke: euen fyue. C. were they, & fyftye, & they ruled the people that wrought the worke. And Pharaos doughter came vp out of the citie of Dauid vnto the house which Salomon had buylte for her. And then dyd he also buylde Millo. And thryse a yere dyd Salomon offre burnt offerynges and peace offerynges vpon the aulter, whiche he buylte vnto the Lorde: And he burnt insence vpon the aulter that was before the lorde, and so he fynysshed the house. And kynge Salomon made a nauye of shyppes in Azion Gaber, whiche is besyde Elath, on the brynke of the red see, in the land of Edom. And Hiram sent by shyp also of his seruaūtes, that were shyp¦men, and had knowledge of the see, with the seruauntes of Salomon. And they came to Ophir and fet from thence one and twentye score hundred weyght of golde, and brought it to kynge Salomon.

¶ The name of Saba cōmeth to heare the wysdom of Salomon, whose royaltye is here discry••ed.

CAPI. X.

ANd the quene of Saba hearynge the [unspec A] fame of Salomon (cōcernynge the name of the Lorde) came to proue hym with harde questions. And she came to Ierusalem with a very great trayne: with Camelles that bare swete odoures, & golde excedyng moche, and precyous stones. And she came to Salomō, & comuned w^t hym of all that was in her herte. And Salomon declared vnto her al her questi¦ons, so that there was not one thyng hyd frō the kynge, which he expounded not vnto her.

And the quene of Saba consydered all Salomons wysdome, and the house that he had buylded, and the meate of his table, and ☞ the syttyng of his seruauntes, the order of his ministers, and theyr apparell, his drynke and his burntsacrifices that he offred in the house of the Lorde, and she was astonyed.

And she sayd vnto the kyng, It was a true [unspec B] worde that I herde in myne owne lande of thy sayenges, and of thy wysdome. Howbeit I byleued it not, tyl I came, and sawe it with myne eyes. And beholde, the one halfe was not tolde me: for thy wysdome and prosperite excedeth the same whiche I herde of the.

Happy are thy men: and happy are these thy seruauntes, whiche stande euer before the, & heare thy wysdome. Blessed be the Lorde thy God, whiche loued the, to set the on the seate of Israel, bycause the lorde loued Israell for euer, and made the kynge, to do equite and rygteousnesse. And she gaue the kynge syxe score hundred weyght of golde, and of swete odoures excedyng moche, and precyous sto∣nes. There came no more such haboundaūce of swete odoures, as the quene of Saba gaue to kynge Salomon. The nauye also of the shyppes of Hiram (that caryed golde from Ophir) brought lykewyse great plentye of ☞ Almuge tre and precyous stones. And the kynge made of the Almuge trees, pyllers for the house of the Lorde, and for the kynges pa¦lace, and made harpes and psaltryes for syn∣gers. There came no more suche Almuge trees, nor were any more sene vnto this day. And kyng Salomon gaue vnto the quene of Saba accordynge to all her desyre what soe∣uer she asked: Besydes that he gaue her of a free wyll with his owne hande. And so she re∣turned vnto her owne countrey: both she, and her seruauntes.

The weyght of golde that came to Sa∣lomon [unspec C] in one yere, was syxe hūdred thre score & syxe talentes of golde, besydes that he had of chapmen and of merchauntes and of Po∣ticaries, and of all the kynges of Arabie, and of the lordes of the countrey. And kyng Sa∣lomon made two hundred buckelers of bea∣ten golde, syxe hundred sycles of golde went to a buckeler. And he made .iii. hundred shel∣des of beten golde, thre poūde of golde went to one shelde, and the kynge put them in the house of the wood of Libanon.

And the kynge made a great seate of yue∣rye, and couered it with the best golde. And the seate had syxe steppes. And the toppe of

the seate was roūde behynde, and there were pomels on eyther syde on the place of the seat and two lyons stode besyde the pomels. And there stode. xii. Lyons on the steppes. vi. on a syde. There was none like (worke) sene in any kyngdome. And al kyng Salomons dryn∣kyng vessels were of golde, & lykewyse al the vessels of the house of the wood of Libanon were of pure golde. And as for syluer, it was nothynge worth in the dayes of Salomon.

For the kynges nauye of shyppes went on the see ☞ vnto Tharsis with the nauye of Hirams shyppes: euen once in thre yere went the nauye to Tharsis, and brought Golde & syluer ☞ Elephantes tethe, apes & pecockes.

And so kynge Salomon exceded all the kynges of the earth bothe in rychesse & wys∣dome. [unspec D] And al the worlde resorted to Salomon to here his wysdome, whiche God had put in his herte. And brought hym euery man his present, vessels of syluer and vessels of golde rayment, harnesse, and swete odours, & hor∣ses and Mules, yere by yere. And Salomon gathered togyther charettes and horsemen: & he had a thousande &. iiii. hundred charettes, and twelue thousande horse men, whome he bestowed in the charet cities, & with the kyng at Ierusalem. And the kynge made syluer in Ierusalem as plenteous as stones, & Ce∣dar as plenteous as the wylde fyg trees that growe aboundauntly in the feldes.

☞ The bryngynge of horses also out of Egypte: and the collectyon of the wares, dyd the kynges marchauntes take agayne, and solde the stuffe for a pryce. A charet came vp out of Egypt for. vi. hundred sycles of syluer: that is ☞ one horse for an hundred & fyftye. And euen so for all the kynges of the Hethi∣tes, and for the kynges of Siria, dyd they bryng them out, thorowe theyr handes.

¶ Salomon hath seuen hundred quenes, and thre hundred concubynes, whiche brynge hym to Idolatrye. His aduer∣saryes re••••ll agaynst hym. He dyeth.

CAPI. XI.

BUt kyng Salomon loued many out∣landyshe [unspec A] women: and the doughter of Pharao: and women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonites & Hethi∣tes. Where as yet (concernyng these nacions) the Lorde sayd vnto the chyldren of Israel: ☞ Come not ye at them, nor let them come at you: Els wyll they turne your hertes after theyr goddes. Neuertheles, Salomon claue vnto them in loue. And he had seuen hūdred Quenes, and. CCC. cōcubines, & his wyues turned away his herte. For it came to passe, when Salomon was olde his wyues turned his herte after other Gods: & his herte was not perfyte with the Lorde his God, as was the herte of Dauid his father: For Salomon folowed Astaroth the God of the Zidons, & Milcō, the obhominacion of the Ammonit{is}.

And Salomon wrought wyckednesse in [unspec B] the syght of the lorde, & folowed not the lorde perfytely, as dyd Dauid his father. For then dyd Salomon buylde ☞ an hygh place for Chamos the abhominacion of Moab, in the hyll that is before Ierusalem, and vnto Mo∣loch the abhominacion of the chyldrē of Am∣mon. And lykewyse dyd he for all his outlan∣dyshe wyues, which burnt sence & offered vn to theyr Gods. And the Lorde was angrye w^t Salomon, bycause his herte was turned frō the Lorde god of Israel whiche had appea∣red vnto hym twyse, and gaue hym a charge (concernyng this thynge) that he shulde not folowe other Gods. But he kepte not that, whiche the Lorde cōmaunded hym: wherfore the Lorde sayd vnto Salomon: for as moche as this is done of the, & thou hast not kepte myne appoyntment, and my statutes (which I cōmaunded the) I wyll rent the kyngdom from the, and wyll gyue it to thy seruaunt.

Notwithstandynge in thy dayes I wyll not do it, bycause of Dauid thy father: but [unspec C] wyll take it from the hande of thy sonne. Howbeit, I wyll not take away all the kyng∣dome: but wyll gyue ☞ one tribe to thy son, bycause of Dauid my seruaunt, and bycause of Ierusalem whiche I haue chosen. And the Lorde styrred vp an aduersarye vnto Salo∣mon: euen one Hadad an Edomite, of the kynges seede, whiche was in Edom. For whē Dauid was in Edom, & Ioab the captayne of the hoost was gone vp to burye them that were sleyne, he smote all the men chyldren in Edom. For. vi. monethes dyd Ioab remayne there and all Israel, tyll he had destroyed all the men chyldren in Edom. And this Hadad fled and certayne other Edomytes of his fa∣thers seruauntes with hym, to come into E∣gypte: Hadad beyng yet a lytell chylde.

And they arose out of Madian, and came to Paran, and toke mē with them out of Pa∣ran, [unspec D] and came to Egypte vnto Pharao kyng of Egypte, whiche gaue hym an house, and appoynted hym vittayles, & gaue hym land.

And Hadad gat great fauour in the syght of Phara•• ••o that he gaue hym to wyfe the syster of his owne wyfe, euen the syster of Thahpenes the Quene. And the syster of Thahpenes bare hym Genubath his sonne, whō Thahpenes norished in Pharaos house And Genubath was of Pharaos housholde

amonge the sonnes of Pharao. And whē Ha¦dad herde in Egypte, that Dauid was layde to slepe with his fathers, and that Ioab the captayne of the hoost was deade also, he sayd to Pharao: let me departe, that I may go to myne owne coūtrey. Pharao sayd vnto him: What haste thou lacked here with me, that thou woldest thus go to thyne owne coūtrey? He answered: nothyng: howbeit, let me go. And God styrred hym vp an other aduersary one Rezom the sonne of Eliada, whiche fled from his lorde Hodadezer kynge of Zoba. And he gathered men vnto hym, and became captayne ouer the company, whē Dauid slue them. And they wente to Damasco, & dwelte there, & reygned in Damasco. Therfore was he an aduersarye to Israell all the dayes of Salomon. And this was the myscheyfe, in that Hadad dyd abhorre Israel, and reygned ouer Syria.

And Ieroboam the sonne of Hebat an [unspec E] Ephrathite of Zareda (whose mother was called Zetuah, which was a wydowe, and he Salomons seruaunt) ☞ lyfte vp his hande agaynst the kynge. But this was the cause, that he lyfte vp his hande agaynst the kyng. Salomon buylte Mello, & mended the bro∣ken places of the citye of Dauid his father. And this felow Ieroboam was a mā of war. And Salomon sawe the yonge man, that he was able to do the worke, he made hym ruler ouer all the charges of the house of Ioseph. And it chaunced at that ceason, that Ieroboā wente out of Ierusalem, & the prophet Ahia the Silonite met hym by the way, hauyng a newe mantell on hym, & they two were alone in the felde. And Ahia caught the newe man∣tel that was on hym, & rent it in twelue peces and sayd to Ieroboam: take the ten peces. For this sayth the Lorde God of Israel: Be∣holde, [unspec F] I wyll sent the kyngdome out of the handes of Salomon, and wyll gyue ten tri∣bes to the, and he shal haue one, for my ser∣uaunt Dauids sake, and for Ierusalem the citye whiche I haue chosen out of all the tri∣bes of Israel: bycause they haue forsaken me and haue worshypped Astharoth the God of the Zedons, & Chamos the god of the Moa∣bites, and Milcom the god of the chyldren of Ammon, and haue not walked in my wayes (to fulfyll my pleasure, my statutes and my lawes,) as dyd Dauid his father.

I wyll not take the hole kyngdome out of his hande: but wyll make hym cheyfe all his lyfe longe, for Dauid my seruauntes sake, whom I chose: bycause he kepte my cōmaun¦dementes and my statutes. But I wyl take the kyngdome out of his sonnes hande, and wyll gyue vnto the, euen ten tribes of it: and to his sonne wyll I gyue one trybe, that Da∣uid my seruaunt may haue a light alway be∣fore me in Ierusalem, the citye which I haue chosen me, to put my name there. And I wyll take the, and thou shalte reygne accordynge to all that thy soule desyreth, & shalte be kyng ouer Israel.

And yf thou herken vnto all that I com∣maunde [unspec G] the, and wylte walke in my wayes, & do that is ryght in my syght, that thou kepe my statutes and my cōmundementes (as Da∣uid my seruaunt dyd) then wyl I be with the & buylde the a sure house that shal contynue, as I buylte for my seruaunt Dauid, and wyl gyue Israell vnto the. And therwith wyll I vexe the seede of Dauid, but not for euer.

Salomon sought therfore to kyll Iero∣boam, and Ieroboam arose, and fled in to E∣gypte vnto Sisak kyng of Egypte, & conty∣nued there in Egypte vntyl the death of Sa¦lomon. The rest of the wordes that concerne Salomon, and al that he dyd, & his wysdom: are they not wrytten in the boke of the wor∣des of Salomon? The tyme that Salomon reygned in Ierusalem vpon all Israell, was fourtye yere. And Salomon slepte & he layd hym with his fathers, and was buryed in the citye of Dauid his father, and Rehoboam his sonne reygued in his steade.

¶ The kyngdom is deuyded. Rehoboam reygneth ouer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Trybes, and Ieroboam ouer ten. Adu••am is stoned. Iero∣boam maketh golden Calues.

CAPI. XII.

ANd Rehoboam went to Sichem: for [unspec A] al Israel were come to Sichem, to make hym kyng. And Ieroboam the sonne of Na∣bat (whiche was yet in Egypte) herde of it for he fled to Egypte from the presence of kyng Salomon, & dwelte in Egypte. So they sent & called hym: and Ieroboam and all the congregacyon of Israel came, & spake vnto Rehoboam, sayenge: Thy father made oure ☞ yoke greuous, nowe therfore make thou the greuous seruyce of thy father & his sore yoke which he put vpon vs, lyghter, & we wyl serue the. And he sayd vnto them: departe yet for the space of. iii. dayes, & then come agayn to me. And the people departed. And kynge Rehoboam toke counsayle with the olde mē that stode before Salomon his father, whyle he yet lyued, & sayd: what counsayle gyue ye, that I may haue matter to answere this peo∣ple? And they sayde vnto hym: If y^u be a ser∣uaūt [unspec B] vnto this people this day, & folow theyr myndes & answere them, & speke kynde wor∣des to thē: they wyl be thy seruaūtes for euer.

But he forsoke the counsayie that the olde men had gyuen hym, & called vnto his coun∣sayle yonge men, that were growen vp with hym, and wayted on hym. And he sayd vnto them: what counsayle gyue ye, that we maye answere this people? for they haue commu∣ned with me, sayenge: make the yoke whiche thy father dyd put vpon vs, lyghter? And the yonge men that were growen vp with hym, spake vnto hym, sayenge: Thus shalte thou [unspec C] speake vnto this people (that haue sayd vnto the: thy father made our yoke heuy, but make thou it vs lyghter.) Euen thus shalte thou say vnto them: ❀ My lytell fynger shall be weyghtyer, thē my father was in the loyues. And nowe where as my father dyd lade you & put a greuous yoke vpon you, I wyl make it heuyer: my father also corrected you with scourges, but I wyll chastyse you w^t ☞ scor∣pions. And so Ieroboam and all the people came to Behoboam the thyrde daye, as the kynge had appoynted, sayenge: Come to me agayne the thyrde day. And the kyng answe∣red the people churlysshly, and lefte the olde mens counsayle (that they gaue hym) and spake to them after the coūsayle of the yonge men, saynge. My father made your yoke gre¦uous, [unspec D] and I wyll make it greuouser: My fa∣ther also chastysed you with whyppes, but I wyl chastyse you w^t scorpions. And the kyng herkened not vnto the people: for it was the ordenaunce of god, that he myght performe his sayenge, whiche the lorde spake by Ahia the Silonite vnto Ieroboam, the sonne of Nebat. And so when Israell sawe, that the kynge regarded them not, the people answe∣red the kynge with these wordes, saynge: What procyon haue we in Dauid? we haue no enheritaunce in the sonne of Isai. To your tentes, O Israel, now se to thyne owne house Dauid. And so Israell departed vnto theyr tentes. Howbeit, ouer the chyldren of Israel which dwelte in the citye of Iuda, dyd Rehoboam reygne styll. Then kynge Reho∣boam sent Adurā the receyuer of the tribute. And all they of Israel stoned hym to deathe. But kyng Rehoboam made spede to get him vp to his charet, and to flee to Ierusalem.

And they of Israell rebelled agaynst the [unspec E] house of Dauid, vnto this day. And when al Israell herde that Ieroboam was come a∣gayne they sent and called hym vnto the mul¦titude, and made hym kynge ouer all Israel: & there was no tribe that folowed the house of Dauid, but Iuda onely. And when Re∣hoboam was come to Ierusalem, he gathe∣red all the house of Iuda, with the tribe of Beniamin an hundred and foure score thou∣sande of chosen men (whiche were good war∣ryours) to fyght agaynst the house of Israel And to brynge the kyngdome agayne to Re∣hoboam the sonne of Salomon.

And the worde of God came vnto Sema••a the man of God: saynge: Speake vnto Reho¦boam [unspec F] the sonne of Salomon kyng of Iuda and vnto all the house of Iuda and Benia∣min, and to the remenaunt of the peple, say∣enge: Thus sayth the Lorde. Ye shall not go vp, nor yet fyght agaynst your brethren the chyldren of Israel, returne euery man to his house, for this thyng is my doyng. They her∣kened therfore to the worde of the Lorde, and returned to departe, accordynge to the worde of the Lorde. Then Ieroboā buylte Sichem in mount Ephraim, and dwelte therin. And went from thence, and buylte Penuel.

And Ieroboam thought in his herte: nowe shall the kyngdome returne to the house of Dauid. For yf this people go vp, and do sa∣crifice in the house of the lorde at Ierusalem, thē shal the herte of this people turne agayn vnto theyr lorde Rehoboam kynge of Iuda: And so shall they kyll me, and go agayne to Rehoboam kyng of Iuda. Whervpon the kyng toke counsayle, and made two calues of golde, and sayde vnto them. It is moche for you to go vp to Ierusalem.

Beholde, O Israel: these are thy godd{is} [unspec G] which brought you out of the land of Egipte And he set the one in Bethel, & the other set he in Dan. And this thyng turned to synne: for the people went (bycause of the one) as farre as Dan. And he made an house of hyll aul∣ters, and made preestes of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sonnes of Leui. Ieroboā made a feast the. xv. day of the. viii. moneth, lyke vnto the feast that is in Iuda, & offered on the aulter. And so dyd he in Be∣thel, to offre vnto the calues that he had made And he put in Bethel the preestes of the hyll aulters, whiche he had made. And he offered burnt offerynges vpon the aulter, whiche he had made in Bethel the. xv. daye of the. viii. moneth: euen in the Moneth whiche he had ymagened of his owne herte: and made a so¦lempne feast vnto the chyldren of Israel, and offered vpon the aulter, and burnt insence.

¶ Ieroboam doynge sacrifice vnto the calues, is reprehended of the Prophet. His hand is dryed vp, whyle he putteth it out agaynst the Prophet. The Prophet is kylled and buryed.

CAPI. XIII.

AND beholde, there came ☞ a man of [unspec A] God out of Iuda (by the worde of the Lorde (vnto Bethel, and Ieroboam stode by the aulter to put insence, & he cryed agaynst

the aulter in the worde of the lorde, and sayd: O aulter, aulter, thus sayeth the Lorde: Be∣holde, a chylde shall be borne vnto the house of Dauid, (Iosia by name) & vpon the shal he offre the Preestes of the hyll aulters that burne incense vpon the, and mennes bones shall be brent vpon the. And he gaue a token the same tyme, saynge: this is the token, that the Lorde hath spoken it: Beholde, the aulter shall rente, and the asshes that are vpon it, shall fall out.

And when the kynge herde the sayenge of [unspec B] the man of God, (whiche had cryed agaynst the aulter in Bethell,) he stretched out his hande from the aulter, sayenge: holde hym. And his hande whiche he put forth agaynst hym, dryed vp, and he coulde not pull it in a∣gayne to hym: the aulter also claue asunder / and the asshes fell out from the aulter, accor∣dynge to the token whiche the man of God had gyuen by the worde of the Lorde. And the kynge answered, and sayde vnto the man of god: Oh praye vnto the lorde thy god, & make intercession for me, that my hande may be restored me agayne. And the man of God he sought the Lorde, and the Kynges hande was restored agayne, and became as it was afore. And the kynge sayde vnto the man of God: come home with me, that thou mayest dyne, and I wyll gyue the a rewarde. And the man of god sayd vnto the kyng: yf thou wol∣dest gyue me halfe thyne house, I wyll not go in with the, neyther wyll I eate breade or drynke water in this place.

For so was it charged me thorow the word [unspec C] of the lorde, saynge: eate no bread nor drynke water, nor turne agayne by the same waye that y^• camest. And so he went another waye, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethell. And there dwelt ☞ an olde prophet in Bethell, and his son came, and tolde hym all the workes, that the man of god had done that daye in Bethell, and the wordes whiche he had spoken vnto the kynge ☞ tolde they theyr father also. And theyr father sayde vn∣to them: what waye went he? And his sonnes shewed hym what waye the man of god went whiche came frome Iuda. And he sayde vn∣to his sonnes: sadle me the asse. Which when they had sadled, he gat hym vp theron, and went after the man of God, and founde hym syttynge vnder a tre. And he sayd vnto hym: arte thou the man of God that camest from Iuda? And he sayde: I am.

He sayde vnto hym: come home with me, [unspec D] and eate breade. He answered: I may not re∣turne with the, to go in with the, neyther wyll I eate bread or drynke water with the in this place. For it was sayde to me in the worde of the Lorde: Thou shalte eate no breade, nor drynke water there, nor turne agayne to go by the waye that thou camest. He sayde vnto hym: I am a prophet also as well as thou, & an angell spake vnto me in the worde of the Lorde, sayenge: brynge hym agayne with the into thyne house, that he maye eate breade, & drynke water. And he lyed vnto hym. And so he went agayne with hym, & dyd eate breade in his house and dranke water. And it fortu∣ned, that as they sat at the table, the worde of the lord came vnto the prophet, that brought hym agayne.

And he cryed vnto the man of God that [unspec E] came from Iuda, sayenge: thus sayeth the lorde: because thou hast dysobeyed the mouth of the lorde, and haste not kepte the cōmaun∣dement whiche the lorde thy god cōmaunded the, but camest backe agayne, and hast eaten breade, and dronke water, in the place (con∣cernynge the whiche the lorde dyd saye vnto the. Thou shalt eate no bread nor drynke wa∣ter) thy carkas shall not come vnto the se∣pulchre of thy fathers. And so it cam to passe, that when he had eaten breade & dronke, the prophet whiche brought hym agayne, sadled hym an asse. And when he was gone, a Ly∣on met hym by the waye, and siue hym, & his carkas was cast in the waye, & the asse stode therby, and the Lyon stode by the coorse also.

And men that passed by, sawe the carkas [unspec F] cast in the way, and the Lyon standyng ther∣by: & they came & tolde it in the towne where the olde prophet dwelt. And whē the prophet that brought him backe agayne frō the waye herde therof, he sayde: it is the man of God: He was dysobedient vnto the worde of the Lorde, and therfore the Lorde hath delyue∣red hym vnto the Lyon, which hath rent him and sleyne hym, accordynge to the worde of the lorde, whiche he spake vnto hym. And he spake to his sonnes, sayenge: Sadle me an Asse: and so they dyd. And he went, & founde his bodye cast in the waye. And the asse and the Lyon stode by the coorse. And the Lyon had not eaten the carkas, nor hurte the Asse.

And the prophet toke vp the bodye of the [unspec G] man of God, and layde it vpon the Asse, and brought it agayn, and the olde prophet came to the citye to lament, and to burye hym. And he layde his bodye in his owne graue, & they lamented ouer hym. (Alas my brother.) And when he had buryed hym, he spake to his son¦nes, sayenge: when I am dead, se that ye bu∣rye me in the sepulcre wherin the man of god

is buryed: laye my bones besyde his bones: For the saynge which is cryed at the worde of the Lorde agaynst the aulter in Bethell (and agaynst all the houses of hyll aulters, whiche are in the cityes of Samarie) shall come to passe. Howbeit, for all that, Ierobo∣am conuerted not from his wycked way: but turned backe, and made of the lowest of the people Preestes of the hylaulters. And who so pleased hym, he fylled his hande, and he became Preest of the hylaulters. And this thynge turned to synne vnto the house of Ie∣roboam, euen to destroye hym, and to brynge hym to nought from of the face of the earth.

¶ ••ctoboams wyfe asueth councell of Ai••a the Prophet. Ieroboam dyeth. Sysack kynge of Egypte robbeth the house of the lorde. Rehoboam dyeth, and Abram succedeth hym.

CAPI. XIIII.

AT that tyme Abia the sonne of Ierobo∣am fell sycke. And Ieroboam sayd vn∣to [unspec A] his wyfe: vp (I praye the) and dys∣guyse thy selfe, that thou be not knowen to be the wyfe of Ieroboam, and get the to Si∣lo. For there is Ahia the prophet which tolde me that I shuld be kynge ouer this people And take with the ten loues, and cracknels / and a cruse of honye, and go to hym: that he maye tel the what shal be come of the chylde. And Ieroboams wyfe dyd so: and arose, and went to Silo, and came to the house of Ahia.

But Ahia coulde not se, for his eyes were waren dymme for age. And the Lorde sayde vnto Ahia: beholde, the wyfe of Ieroboam cōmeth, to aske a thynge of the for her sonne, for he is sycke. But thus shalt thou saye vn∣to her. And when she came in, she feyned her selfe to be a nother woman.

But when Ahia herde the sounde of her [unspec B] feete as she came in at the dore, he sayd: come in thou wyfe of Ieroboam, why feynest thou thy selfe so, to be another? I am sent to the to shewe the heuy thynges. Go, tell Ieroboam, thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israell: for as moche as I eralied the from amonge the people, and made the prynce ouer my people Israell, I dyd rent the kyngdom away from the house of Dauid, and gaue it the: Neuer∣theles, thou hast not ben as my seruaunt Da¦uid, whiche kepte my cōmaundementes, and folowed me w^t all his herte, to do that whiche is ryght in myne eyes: but hast done euyll, a∣boue all that were before the: for thou hast gone, and made the other Goddes, and mol∣ten ymages, to prouoke me, and hast cast me behynde thy backe: therfore beholde, I wyll brynge euyll vpon the house of Ieroboam / and wyll rote out from Ieroboam, euen him that pysseth agaynst the wall, and hym that is in pryson and forsaken in Israell, and wyl [unspec C] take awaye the remenaunte of the house of Ieroboam, as a man taketh awaye dounge / tyll he hath caryed out all.

Whosoeuer (of Ieroboams house) dyeth in the towne, hym shall the dogges eate: and he that dyeth in the felde, shall the foules of the ayre cate, for the Lorde hath sayde it. Uy therfore, and get the to thyne house: Behold / when thy foote entereth into the Citye, the chylde shall dye. And all they of Israell shall mourne for hym, and burye hym, for he only of Ieroboam, shall come to the scpulchre, by∣cause in hym there is founde goodnesse to∣warde the Lorde God of Israell in the house of Ieroboā. Moreouer, the lorde shall styrre hym vp a kynge ouer Israell, whiche shall destroye the house of Ieroboam in that day. [unspec D]

☞ But what is it nowe? For the Lorde shall smyte Israell, as when a rede is shaken in the water, and he shall wede Israell out of this good lande (whiche he gaue to theyr fa∣thers,) and ☞ shall scatter them beyonde the ryuer, bicause they haue made them groues / and angred the Lorde. And he shall gyue Is∣raell vp, bycause of the synnes of Ieroboam, which dyd synne, and made Israell to synne. And Ieroboams wyfe arose, and departed / and came to Thirzah, and when she came to the threshold of the dore, the chylde was dead And all Israell buryed hym, and lamented hym, accordynge to the worde of the Lorde, which he spake by the hande of his seruaunt Ahia the prophete.

And the rest of the wordes that concerne [unspec E] Ieroboā, how he warred, & how he reygned. Beholde, they are wrytten in the booke of the Cronycles of the kynges of Israell. And the dayes whiche Ieroboam reygned, were. xxii, yeare. And when he was layde a slepe with his fathers, Nadab his sonne reygned in his steade. Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon reygned in Iuda, and Rehoboam was. rli. yeare olde when he began to reygne▪ and he reygned. xvii. yeare in Ierusalem (the cytye whiche the Lorde dyd chose out of all the try∣bes of Israell, to put his name there.)

His mothers name was Naama an Am∣monite. And Iuda wrought wyckednesse in [unspec F] the syght of the lorde, and angred hym in mo¦thynges then theyr fathers dyd in theyr syn∣nes, whiche they synned. For they also made them ☞ hylaulters, ymages▪ and groues on euery hye hyll, and vnder euery thycke tree. And there was a stues of male chyldrē in the lande, & they dyd accordynge to all the abho∣minacyons

of the nacyons whiche the Lorde cast out before the Chyldren of Israell. And it fortuned, that in the fyfte yeare of kynge Rehoboham: Sisack kynge of Egypte came vp agaynst Ierusalem, and toke awaye the treasures of the house of the Lorde, and the treasures of the kynges house, and spoyled all that was to be had.

And he toke awaye the shyldes of golde, [unspec G] whiche Salomon had made. In whose steade kyng Rehoboam made brasen shyld{is} / and commytted them vnto the handes of the kepyng of the captaynes of the garde, which wayted at the dore of the kynges house. And when the kynge went in to the house of the lorde, they of the garde bare them, & brought them agayne into the garde chambre. The rest of the wordes that concerne Rehoboam / and all that he dyd, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronycles of the kynges of Iuda? And there was warre bytwene Roho∣boam, and Ieroboam all theyr lyues. And Rehoboam slepte with his fathers, and was buryed besyde his fathers, in the citye of Da∣uyd. His mothers name was Naama an Am¦monite. And Abiam his Sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Wycked Abiam reygneth ouer Iuda, and ryghteous As•• succedeth in his rou••ne. The battayle bytwene Asa & Baasa. Iehosaphat succedeth Asa. Nadab succedeth Ieroboam▪ Baasa hylleth Nadab.

CAPI. XV.

IN the. xviii. yeare of kynge Ieroboam [unspec A] the sonne of Nabat, reygned Abiam ouer Iuda. Thre yeare reygned he in Ierusa∣lem, and his mothers name was Maacha the doughter of Abisalom. And he walked in all the synnes of his father, whiche he had done before hym, and his herte was not per∣fyte with the Lorde his God, as the herte of Dauid his father. Neuerthelesse for Da∣uids sake dyd the Lorde is God gyne hym a lyght in Ierusalem, that he set vp ☞ his son after hym, and to stablysshe Ierusalem: By∣cause Dauid dyd that, whiche was ryght in the syght of the Lorde, and turned from no∣thynge that he cōmaunded hym al the dayes of his lyfe, saue onely in the matter of Uri∣as the Hethite.

And there was war bytwene Rohoboam / and [unspec B] Ieroboam as longe as he l••ued. The rest of the wordes that concerne Abiam, and all that he dyd, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iu∣da? And there was war bytwene Abiam, and Ieroboam. And Abiam slepte with his Fa∣thers, & they buryed hym in the citye of Da∣uid▪ And Asa his son teygued in his steade.

In the. xx. yeare of Ieroboam kynge of Israell, reygned Asa ouer Iuda. xli. yeare reygned he in Ierusalem, and his mothers name was Maacha, the doughter of Abisa∣lom. And Asa dyd that semed ryght in the eyes of the Lorde, as dyd Dauid his father. And he toke awaye the hoore kepers out of the lande, and put awaye all the abhomyna∣ble Idols that his fathers had made. [unspec C]

And he put downe Maacha ☞ his mo¦ther frō bearyng rule, bycause she had made ymages in groues. And Asa destroyed her ymages, & burnt them by the broke Cedron. ☞ But the hylaulters were not put downe. Neuerthelesse Asas herte was perfyte with the Lorde all his dayes. He brought in the holy vessels of his Father, (and that he had dedicate) vnto the house of the Lorde: golde and syluer, and Iuels. And there was warre bytwene Asa, and Baasa kynge of Israel all theyr dayes. And Baasa kynge of Israell, went vp agaynst Iuda, and buylt Rama, so that he wolde let none go out or in, to Asa kynge of Iuda.

Then Asa toke all the syluer and golde, [unspec D] that was lefte in the treasures of the house of the lorde, & the treasures of the kyng{is} house / and delyuered them vnto the handes of his seruauntes, and Asa sent them to Ben••••∣dad the sonne of Tabrimon, the sonne of He∣zion kynge of Siria, (that dwelt at Damas∣co,) sayenge: there is a bonde bytwene me & the, bytwene my father & thy father. And be∣holde, I haue sent vnto the a present of syl∣uer and golde that thou come and breake the bonde that thou hast with Baasa kynge of Israell, that he maye departe from me▪ So Benhadad herkened vnto kynge Asa, & sent the captaynes of the hoostes (whiche he had) agaynst the cityes of Israell, and smote Hi∣on, and Dan, and Abell, Beth Maacah, and all the regyon of Ceneroth withall the lande of Nephthali.

And when Baasa herde therof, he lefte [unspec E] buyldynge of Rama and dwelt in Thi••••a. Then kynge Asa made a proclamacyon tho∣rowout all Iuda, that noone shulde be excu∣sed. And so they toke the stones of Rama, and the tymbre (wherwith Baasa had buylded,) and kynge Asa buylte with them the hyll of Ben Iamin, and Mizpa. The remenaunt of all the wordes that concerne Asa, and all his myght and all that he dyd, & the cityes which he buylded, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda▪ Ne∣uerthelesse in is olde age he was dyseased in his feete.

And Asa slepte with his fathers, and was [unspec F] buryed besyde his fathers in the citie of Da∣uid his father. And Iehosaphat his sonne reygned in his steade. And Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam began to reygne vpon Israell the seconde yere of Asa kynge of Iuda, and reygned vpon Israell two yeare. And he dyd euyll in the syght of the Lorde, walkynge in the waye of his father and in his synne wher¦with he made Israell ••ynne. And Baasa the sonne of Ahia (whiche was of the house of Isachar) conspyred agaynst hym, & Baasa smote hym at Gibbethon whiche is a citye of the Philistines: For Nadab and all Israell layde seyge to Gibbethon. Euen in the thyrd yere of Asa kynge of Iuda, dyd Baasa sley hym, and reygned in his steade.

And it fortuned that when he was kyng, he smote all the house of Ieroboam, and left [unspec G] hym nought that brethed, vntyll he had put hym cleane out, accordynge vnto the saynge of the Lorde, whiche he spake by his seruaūt Ahia the Selonete: bycause of the synnes of Ieroboam wherwith he synned & made Is∣raell synne, when he with his prouocacyon angred the Lorde God of Israell. The rest of the wordes that concerne Nadab, and all that he dyd, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kyng{is} of Israel? And there was war bytwene Asa, & Baasa kynge of Israell all theyr dayes.

So in the thyrde yere of Asa kynge of Iu∣da, began Baasa the sonne of Ahia to reygne ouer all Israell in Thirza. xxiiii. yere. And he dyd that whiche is euyll in the syght of the Lorde, walkynge in the waye of Ieroboam / and in his synne, whiche made Isaell to syn.

¶ Iehu prophesyeth agaynst Baasa, whome Ela succedeth. ••••m•••• hylleth his maystre Ela. and destroyeth the house of Baasa. Ahab succedeth Amri, and taketh to wyfe wyt¦hed Iezabell.

CAPI. XVI.

THen the worde of the lorde came to Ie∣hu [unspec A] the sonne of Hanani agaynst Baasa sayenge: for asmoche as I exalted the out of the dust, and made the captayne ouer my people Israell, and thou hast walked in the waye of Ieroboam, and hast made my people Israell to syn, to anger me with theyr synnes: Beholde, I wyll roote out the poste∣rite of Baasa, and the posterite of his house, and wyll make his house / lyke the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat. That man of Baasa whiche dyeth in the cytye, hym shal the dogges eate: and that man of hym which dyeth in the feldes, shal the foules of the ayre eate. The rest of the wordes that concerne [unspec B] Baasa, and what he dyd, and his power, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Croni∣cles of the kynges of Israell? And so Baasa slepte with his fathers, and was buryed in Thirza. And Ela his Sonne reygned in his steade. And by the hande of the prophete Ie∣hu the Sonne of Hanani, came the worde of the Lorde agaynst Baasa, and agaynst his house, and agaynst all the wyckednesse that he dyd in the syght of the lorde (in angeryng hym with the worke of his owne hand{is}) that he shulde be lyke the house of Ieroboam, and ❀ ☞ bycause he kylled hym. ❀ (That is to say I••hu the sonne of Hanani the prophet.)

The. xxvi. yere of Asa kynge of Iuda be∣gan Ela the sonne of Baasa to reygne ouer Israell in Thirza, two yere. And his seruaūt Zimri (which was captayne of halfe his cha∣rettes) conspired agaynst hym, as he was in Thirza drynkynge: and was dronken in the house of Arza steward of his house in Thirza

And Zimri came, and smote him, and kyl∣led [unspec C] hym in the. xxvii. yere of Asa kynge of Iu¦da, and reygned in his steade. And it fortuned that when he was kynge and satte on his seate, he siue all the house of Baasa, not lea∣nynge therof: one to pysse agaynst a walle:

Yea, he slue his kynsfolkes, and frendes also. And thus dyd Zimri destroye all the house of Baasa, accordynge to the worde of the lorde, whiche he spake agaynst Baasa by the hande of Iehu the prophet, for all the syn¦nes of Baasa and synnes of Ela his sonne / whiche they synned, and made Israell to syn, and angre the lorde god of Israell with theyr vanityes. The rest of the wordes that con∣cerne Ela, and al he dyd, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israell? In the. xxvii. yere of Asa kynge of Iuda, dyd Zimri reygne. vii. dayes in Thir∣za, & the people was then in the hooste besey∣gynge Gibbethon a citye of the Philistines.

And the people in the hoost herde one say: Zimri hath conspired, and sleyne the kynge: [unspec D] Wherfore, all they of Israell made Amri (the captayne of the hoost) kynge ouer Israel that same day, euen in the hoost. And Amri depar¦ted vp frō Gibbethon, & all Israell with hym and they beseyged Thirza. And when Zimri sawe that the citye must nedes be taken, he went in to the palace of the kyng{is} house, and burnt hym selfe and the kynges house with fyre, and so dyed, for his synnes which he syn¦ned, in doyng that which is euell in the syght of the Lorde, and in walkynge in the waye of Ieroboam and in his synnes whiche he dyd, and in that he made Israell to synne.

The rest of the wordes that cōcerne Zimri

and the treason that he wrought, are they not [unspec E] wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israell? Then were the people of Israell deuyded into two partes, for halfe the people folowed Thibni the sonne of Ginath makynge hym kyng: and the other halfe fo∣lowed Amri. But the people that folowed Amri, preuayled agaynst the people that fo∣lowed Thibni the sonne of Ginath. And so Thibni dyed, and Amri reygned. In the. xxxi yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda, began Amri to reygne ouer Israell. xii. yere. Sixe yeare rey∣gned he in Thirza. He bought the hyll, ❀ So∣homron of one Schemar for two talentes of syluer, and buylte in the hyll, and called the name of the citye whiche he buylte, after the name of Schemar whiche had ben owner of the hyll Schomron. But Amri wrought that whiche is euyll in the eyes of the Lorde, and dyd worse then all that were before hym.

For he walked in all the waye of Ierobo∣am [unspec F] the Sonne of Nabat, and in his synnes / that made Israell synne, to anger the Lorde God of Israell with theyr vanityes. The rest of the wordes that concerne Amri, & all that he dyd, and his strength that he shewed, are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israell? And so Amry slept with his fathers, and was buryed in Sche∣maron, and Ahab his Sonne reygned in his steade. In the. xxxviii. yeare of Asa kynge of Iuda, beganne Ahab the sonne of Amri to reygne ouer Israell, and the same Ahab the sonne of Amri reygned ouer Israell in Sa∣maria. xxii. yeare.

And Ahad the sonne of Amri dyd euyll in [unspec G] the syght of the Lorde, aboue all that were be¦fore hym. For it semed vnto hym but a lyght thynge to walke in the synnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat. He toke Iezebell also the doughter of Ethbaal kynge of the Sidony∣tes to wyfe, and went & serued Baall, and worshypped him. And he reared vp an aulter for Baall in the temple of Baall, whiche he had buylded in Schomron. And Ahab made groues, and proceded further in angerynge the Lorde God of Israell then all the kyng{is} of Israell that were before hym.

❀ In his dayes dyd Hiell of Bethel buylde Ierico. And it cost hym Abiram his eldest sonne when he layde the foundacion, and his yongest son Segub, when he set vp the gates, accordyng vnto the worde of the lorde, which he spake by Iosua the sonne of Nun.

¶ Elsa 〈◊〉〈◊〉 norysshed and fed of Rauens, and after is sent to zarphat (otherwyse called Sareptha) to a woman, whose chylde he raysed to lyfe.

CAPI. XVII.

ANd Elia the Thesbite (whiche was of [unspec A] the enhabytours of Gilead) sayde vn∣to Ahab: as truly as the Lorde God of Israell lyueth, before whom I stand there shall be neyther dewe nor rayne these yeares, but accordynge to my worde. And the worde of the Lorde came vnto hym, sayenge, get the hence, and turne the Eastward, and hyde thy selfe in the broke Cherith, that is it that lyeth before Iordan: Thou shalt drynke of the ry∣uer, and I haue commaunded the rauens to feede the there. And so he went, and dyd accor¦dynge vnto the worde of the Lorde: For he went, and dwelte by the brooke Cherith, that is before Iordane.

And the rauens brought hym breade and flesshe in the mornynge, and lyke wyse breade and flesshe in the euenynge, and he dranke of the brooke. And it chaunced after a whyle / that the brooke dryed vp, bycause there fell no rayne vpon the earth. ✚ And the worde of [unspec B] the Lorde came vnto hym, sayenge: vp, and get the to ☞ Zarphath, whiche is in Sidon, and dwel there. Beholde, I haue cōmaunded a wydowe there to susteyne the. So he arose, and went to Zarphath. And when he came to the gate of the citye, the wydowe was there / gatherynge styckes. And he called to her, and sayde: fet me I praye the, a lytle water in a vessell, that I maye drynke. And as she was goynge to fet it, he cryed after her, and sayd: brynge me I praye the, a morsell of breade also in thyne hande. She sayde: As truely as the Lorde thy god lyueth, I haue no breade redye, but euen an handefull of meale in a barell, & a lyttle oyle in a cruse. And beholde▪ I am gatherynge two styckes for to go in / and dresse it forme and my son, that we maye eate it, and dye. And Elia sayde vnto her: feare not, come and do as thou hast sayd: but make me therof a lyttle cake fyrst of all, and brynge it vnto me: and afterwards make for the and thy sonne.

For thus sayeth the Lorde god of Israel: [unspec C] the meale in the barell shall not be wasted, neyther shall the Oyle in the cruse be minys∣shed, vntyll the Lorde haue sent rayne vpon the earth. And she went, & dyd as Elia sayde. And she and he, & her house dyd ••ate a good space, and the meale wasted not out of the ba¦rell, neyther was the Oyle spent out of the cruse accordynge to the worde of the Lorde / whiche he spake ☞ by the hande of Elia. ⊢

✚ And after these thynges, it hapned, that the sonne of the wyfe of the house fell sycke. And his sycknesse was so sore, that there was

no breath left in hym. And she sayde vnto E∣lia: what haue I to do with the, O thou man of God? Arte thou come vnto me, to call my synne agayne to remembraunce, and to sley my Sonne? He sayde vnto her: gyue me thy Sonne.

And he toke hym out of her lap, and ca∣ryed [unspec D] hym vp into a lofte where he abode, and layde hym vpon his owne bed, and called vn¦to the Lorde, and sayde: O Lorde my God, hast thou punysshed also this wydowe (with whome I dwell as a straunger) and hast sleyne her sonne? And he stretched him selfe vpon the chylde thre tymes, and called vnto the Lorde, and sayde: O Lorde my God, let this chyldes soule come in to hym agayne. And the Lorde herde the voyce of Elia, and the soule of the chyld came in to hym agayne and he reuyued. And Elia toke the boye, and brought hym downe out of the chambre in to the house, and delyuered hym vnto his mo∣ther, and Elia sayde: beholde, thy Sonne ly∣ueth. And the woman sayde vnto Elia: nowe I knowe, that thou arte a man of God, and that the worde of the Lorde in thy mouth, is true. ⊢

¶ Elia is sent to Ahab. Obadia (otherwyse called Abdia) hydeth an hundreth Prophets. Elia kylleth all Baals Prophets, and afterwarde obteyneth rayne.

CAPI. XVIII.

AFter processe of many dayes the worde [unspec A] of the Lorde came to Elia in the thyrde yeare, sayenge: go shewe thy selfe vnto Ahab, and I wyll sende rayne vpon the earth. And Elia went to shewe hym selfe vn∣to Ahab, and there was a great famyshment in Scom••on. And Ahab called Obadia, whiche was the gouerner of his house: and Obadia feared God greatly: For when Ieza∣bell destroyed the Prophetes of the Lorde / he toke an hundred prophetes and hyd them, fyftie men in one caue, and fyftie in another, and prouyded breade and water for them. And Ahab sayde vnto Obadia: Go in to the lande, vnto al fountaynes of water, and vn∣to al brokes, yf happly we may fynde grasse, to saue the horses and the mules, and that we destroye not some of the beastes. And so they deuyded the lande bytwene them, to walke thorowe it. Ahab went one way by hym selfe / and Obadia went another way by him selfe.

And it chaunced that as Obadia was in [unspec B] the waye, Elia met hym. And Obadia knewe hym, and fell on his face, and sayde: arte not thou my Lorde Elia? And he answered hym, I am he. Go and tell thy lorde: beholde, Elia is here. He sayde: what, haue I synned, that thou woldest delyuer me in to the hande of Ahab, to sley me? As truely as the Lorde thy God lyueth, there is no nacyon or kyngdom, whyther my Lorde hath not sent, to seke the. And when they sayde: he is not there, he toke an othe of the kyngdome and nacyon, when he founde the not. And nowe thou sayest: go and tell thy Lorde, that Elia is here. And as soone as I am gone from the, the spiryte of the lorde shall carye the into some place that I do not knowe: and so when I come and tel Ahab, and he can not fynde the, he shall sley me. But I thy seruaunt feare the lorde from my youth vp.

Was it not tolde my Lorde, what I dyd, [unspec C] when Iezabel slue the prophets of the lorde, howe I hyd an hundred men of the Lordes prophets, fyftye men in one caue, and fyftye in another, and prouyded them of bread, and water? And nowe thou sayest, go thou nowe and shewe thy Lorde. Beholde, Elia is here / that he may sley me? And Elia sayd: as truly as the lorde of hoostes lyueth, before whome I stande, I wyll shewe my selfe vnto hym this daye. So Obadia went to mete Ahab / and tolde hym. And Ahab went to mete Elia And it fortuned that when Ahab sawe Elia / he sayde vnto hym: arte thou he that trou∣bleth Israell? He answered: it is not I that haue troubled Israell, but thou, and thy fa∣thers house, in that ye haue forsaken the com¦maundementes of the Lorde, and thou hast folowed Baall. Nowe therfore, sende and gather to me all Israel vnto mount Carmel, and the prophetes of Baall foure hundred and fyftye, and the prophettes of the groues foure hundred, which eate of Iezabels table.

So Ahab sent vnto all the chyldren of Is∣raell, and gathered the Prophettes togyther vnto mounte Carmell.

And Elia came vnto the peple, and sayde: [unspec D] howe longe halte ye bytwene two opinyons? Yf the Lorde be God / folowe hym: but yf Baall be he, then go after hym. And the peo∣ple answered hym not one worde. Then sayd Elia vnto the people agayne, I onely re∣mayne a Prophete of the Lorde: But Baals Prophettes are foure hundred and fyftye. Let them therfore gyue vs two oxen, and let them chose the one, and cut hym in peces, and laye hym on wood / and put no fyre vnder. And I wyll dresse the one oxe, and laye hym on wood, and wyll put no fyre vnder. And call ye on the name of youre Goddes / and I wyll call on the name of the Lorde. And then the GOD that answereth by fyre, let hym be God. And all the people answered, and sayde: it is well spoken.

And Elia sayde vnto the Prophettes of [unspec E] Baall: chose you an oxe, and dresse hym fyrst (foxye are many) and call on the name of youre Goddes, but put no fyre vndre. And they toke the one oxe that he dyd gyue them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baall from mornynge to noone, sayenge: O Baall heare vs. But there was no voyce nor one to answer. And they lept vpon the aulter that they had made. And at noone it fortu∣ned, that Elia mocked them, and sayde: crye lowde, for ☞ he is a god: peraduenture he is talkynge, or occupyed (in folowynge vpon his enemyes) or is in his iourneye, or happe∣ly he slepeth, and must be awaked. And they cryed lowde, and cut them selues, as theyr maner was, with knyues and launcers, tyll the blood folowed on them. And it chaunced / that when myddaye was passed ❀ ☞ they prophesyed vntyll the tyme of the euenynge Sacrifyce.

But there was neyther voyce nor one to answere, nor any that regarded them. And Elia sayde vnto all the folke: come to me. And all the people came to hym. And he re∣payred the aulter of the lorde, that was bro∣ken. And Elia toke. xii. stoones accordynge to the nombre of the. xii. trybes of the sonnes of Iacob (vnto whom the worde of the lorde came) sayenge. Israell shall be thy name.And with the stones he made an aulter in the [unspec F] name of the lorde. And he made a pyt rounde about the aulter, ☞ after the compas of two peckes of seed. And he put the wood in order, and hewed the oxe in peces, and layd hym on the wood, and sayde: fyll foure barels with water, and powre it on the burntsacrifice and on the wood. And he sayd: do so agayne. And they dyd so the seconde tyme. And he sayde agayne: do it the thyrde tyme. And they dyd it the thyrde tyme. And the water ran rounde aboute the aulter, and he fylled the pyt with water also. And it fortuned when the tyme came (wherin the burntsacrifyce of the eue∣nynge vsed to be offered) Elia the Prophette came, and sayd: lorde god of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, it shalbe knowen this day, that thou arte the God in Israell, and that I am thy seruaunt, and that I haue done all these thynges at thy cōmaundement. Heare me (O lorde) heare me, that this people may know / that thou arte the Lorde God, and thou hast turned theyr herte agayne nowe at the last.

And the fyre of the Lorde fell, and consu∣med the burntsacrifyce and the wood, the sto∣nes and the dust, & lycked vp the water that was in the pytte.

And when all the people sawe it, they fell [unspec G] on theyr faces, and sayde: the lorde, he is god, the lord, he is god. And Elia sayd vnto them: Take the prophett{is} of Baall, and let not one of them escape. And they toke them, and Elia brought them vnto the brooke Kison, & slue them there. And Elia sayde vnto Ahab: get the vp, eate and drynke, for there is a sounde of moche rayne. And so Ahab went vp to eate and to drynke, and Elia went vp to the top of Carmell. And he layde ☞ hym selfe flatte vpon the earth, and put his face bytwene his knees, and sayde to his seruaunt: go vp (I praye the) and loke towarde the waye of the see. And he went vp and loked, and sayde: there is nothynge. And he sayde: go agayne seuen tymes. And it fortuned, that at the se∣uent tyme he sayde: beholde, there aryseth a lyttle clowde of the see, lyke a mannes hande He sayde: go, and saye vnto Ahab. Make fast thy charet, and get the downe, that the rayne stop the not. And it came to passe, that in the meane whyle, that heuen was blacke with clowdes and wynde, and there was a greate rayne. And Ahab gat vp and came to Iez∣reel. And the hande of the lorde was on Elia and he gyrded vp his loynes, and can before Ahab, tyll he came to Iezreell.

¶ Elia fleynge from Iezabell is norysshed of the Angell of God, and is cōmaunded to anoynte Azahel, Iaha, and Heliseus, whom the Hebrues call, Elisa.

CAPI. XIX.

ANd Ahab tolde Iezabell, all that Elia [unspec A] had done, and howe he had sleyne al the prophettes with the swerde. Then Ie∣zabell sent a messenger vnto Elia, sayenge: So & so let the goddes do to me, yf I make not thy soule lyke one of theyrs, by to morow this tyme. When he saw that, ✚ he arose and went for his lyfe, & came to Beerseba in Iu∣da, and lefte his seruaunt tw••re. But he hym selfe went a dayes iourney in to the wylder∣nesse, and came and sat downe vnder a Gina¦per tree, and desyred for his soule, that he myght dye, and sayde: it is nowe ynough (O Lorde) take my soule, for I am not better then my fathers. And as he laye and slepte vnder the Ginaper tree: beholde, an angell touched hym, and sayde vnto hym: vp, and eate. And when he loked aboute hym: behold there was a loofe of breade baked on coles, and a vessell of water at his heade. And he dyd eate / and drynke: and layde hym downe agayne to slepe.

And the angel of the Lorde came agayne [unspec B] the seconde tyme, and touched hym, & sayde: vp, & eate, for thou hast yet a great iourney.

And he arose, and dyd eate and drynke, and walked in the strength of that meate four∣tye dayes & fourtye nyghtes, euen vnto Ho∣reb the mount of god: ⊢ When he came thy∣ther in to a caue, he lodged therin, all nyght.

And beholde, the worde of the lorde came to hym and sayde vnto hym: what doest thou here Elia? And he answered: I haue bene ie∣lous for the lorde god of hoost{is} sake. For the chyldren of Israell haue forsaken thy coue∣naunt, broken downe thyne aulters / and sleyne thy prophets with the swerde, & I only am lefte, & they seke my lyfe to take it awaye.

And he sayde come out, and stande vpon [unspec C] the mounte before the Lorde. And beholde / the lorde went by / and a myghtye stronge wynde that rent the mountaynes and brake the rock{is} before the lorde. But the lorde was not in the wynde. And after the wynde came an earthquake. But the lorde was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, came fyre: but the lorde was not in the fyre. And after the fyre, came a small styll voyce. And when Elia herde it, he couered his face with his mantle, and went out and stode in the en∣trynge in of the caue. And behold, there came a voyce vnto hym, and sayd: what doest thou here Elia? And he answered: I haue bene ie∣lous for the lorde god of hoost{is} sake: bycause the chyldren of Israell haue forsaken thy co∣uenaunt, caste downe thyne aulters, & sleyne thy prophettes with the swerde, and I onely am left, and they seke my lyfe to take it away And the lorde sayde vnto hym: go and turne thy waye to the wyldernesse vnto Damasco, that thou mayest anoynt Hazaell, kynge ouer Siria. And Iehu the sonne of Nimsi, shalte thou anoynt kynge ouer Israell. And Elisa the son of Saphat of Abell Meholoh, shalt thou anoynt to be prophet in thy rowme

And it shal come to passe that who so esca∣peth the swerde of Hazaell, hym shall Iehu [unspec D] sleye: & yf any man scape the swerde of Iehu, hym shall Elisa put to death. And therto I haue lefte me seuen thousande in Israell, of whiche neuer man bowed his knees vnto Baall, nor kyssed hym with his mouthe. So he departed thence, and founde Elisa the son of Saphat plowynge, and hauynge twelue yocke of oxen before hym, and he with the xii. And Elia went by hym, and cast his mantell vpon hym. And he lefte the oxen, and ran af∣ter Elia and sayde: let me I praye the, kysse my father and my mother, and then I wyll folowe the. He sayde vnto hym: go backe a∣gayne, for what is it, that I haue done to the And when he went backe agayne from hym, he toke a couple of oxen, and slue them, and dressed the fleshe with the instrument{is} of the oxen, and gaue vnto the people, and they dyd eate. And then he arose and went after Elia, and minystred vnto hym.

¶ The fyrst, and seconde tyme that Samaria was beseyged of Benhadad kynge of Siria.

CAPI. XX.

ANd Benhadad the kynge of Siria ga∣thered [unspec A] all his hoost togyther, hauynge xxxii. kynges with hym, and horses and charettes: and went vp and beseyged Sama¦ria, and warred agaynst it. And he sent mes∣sengers to Ahab kynge of Israel into the ci∣tye, and sayde vnto hym: Thus sayeth Ben∣hadad: Thy syluer & thy golde is myne, and the fayrest of thy wyues, and of thy chyldren be myne. And the kynge of Israell answered and sayde: my lorde kynge accordynge to thy sayenge, I am thyne, and all that I haue.

And when the messengers came agayne, they sayd: Thus sayeth Benhadad: I haue sente vnto the saynge: Thou shalte delyuer me thy syluer and thy golde, and thy wyues, and thy chyldren. I wyll therfore sende my seruaūtes vnto the to morow this tyme: and they shall serche thyne house / and the houses of thy ser∣uauntes. And what soeuer is pleasaunt in [unspec B] thyne eyes, they shall take it in theyr handes, and brynge it awaye. Then the kynge of Is∣rael sent for all the elders of the lande, & sayd: take hede I pray you: and se, how this felow goth about myschefe. For he sent vnto me, for my wyues, for my children, for my syluer, and for my golde, and I denyed hym not. And all the elders and all the people sayd: herken not vnto hym, nor consent. Wherfore he sayd vnto the messengers of Benhadad: tell my lorde the kynge, all that thou dyddest sende for, to thy seruaunt at the fyrst tyme, that I wyll do: but this thynge I maye not do. And the messengers departed, & brought answere agayne. And Benhadad sent vnto hym a∣gayne, and sayd, & thus do the Goddes vnto me, yf the dust of Samaria be ynough for all the people that folowe me, to take euery man an handfull. And the kynge of Israell answe¦red, & sayd: tel hym: Let not hym that putteth on his harnes boost hym selfe, as he that put¦teth it of. And it fortuned, that when Benha∣dad herde that tydyng{is}, as he was with the kynges drynkyng with in the pauillyons, he sayd vnto his seruaūtes: put on your harnes And they set them selues in aray agaynst the citie. And beholde there came a prophet vnto [unspec C] Ahab kyng of Israel, saynge: thus sayth the lorde: hast thou sene al this great multitude?

Beholde, I wyll delyuer it in to thyne hande this day, & thou shalte knowe, that I am the lorde. And Ahab sayde: By whom? he sayde: thus sayth the lorde: euen by the seruauntes of the gouernoures of the shyres. He sayde a∣gayne: Who shall ordre the battayle? And he answered: thou. Then he nombred the seruaū¦tes of the gouernours of the shyres: and they were two hundred and. xxxii. And after them also, he nombred all the people, all the chyl∣dren of Israel, euen. vii. thousande. And they went out at noone: but Benhadad dyd drinke tyll he was dronken in the pauylyons bothe he and the kynges: euen. xxxii. kynges, that holpe hym. And the seruauntes of the gouer∣nours of the shyres went out fyrst. And Ben∣hadad sent out, and they shewed him, saynge there are men come out of Samaria. He sayd, Whyther they be come oute for peace, take them a lyue, or whyther they be come oute to fyght take them yet alyue.

And so those yong men of the gouernours of the shyres came out of the citye, & the hoost [unspec D] after them, & they slue euery one his enemye that came in his way. And the Sirians fled, and they of Israel folowed after them. And Benhadad the kynge of Siria scaped on a horse, with his horsemen. And the kyng of Is∣rael wente out, & smote the horses & charettes & with a great slaughter slue he the Sirians.

And there came a prophet to the kynge of Israel, and sayd vnto hym: go forth & playe the man, be wyse & take hede what thou doest for when the yere is gone aboute, the kyng of Siria wyl come vp agaynst the. And the ser∣uaūtes of the kyng of Siria sayd vnto hym: the Gods of the hylles are theyr Gods, and therfore they had the better of vs. But let vs fyght agaynst them in the playne, & for what ye wyl, we shall haue the better of them. And this do: take the kyng{is} away euery man out of his place, & put dukes in theyr rowm{is}. And do thou nombre the an hoost, lyke the hoost that thou hast lost, such horses & such charet{is} & we wyll fyght agaynst them in the playne, & thou shalt se vs get the better of them. And he herkened vnto theyr voyce, & dyd euen so.

And it fortuned, that after the yere was [unspec E] gone aboute, Benhadad nombred the Siri∣ans, & went vp to Aphek to fyght agaynst Is¦rael. And the chydren of Israel were nombred & with theyr hole nombre went they agaynst them, & the chyldren of Israel pytched before them, lyke two lytell flockes of kyddes: but the Sirians fylled the countrey. And there came a man of God, and sayd vnto the kyng of Israel: thus sayth the Lorde: Bycause the Sirians haue sayd: the Lorde is but God of the hylles, and not God of the valleys: ther∣fore wyll I delyuer all this great multitude in to thyne hande, & ye shall know, that I am the lorde. And they pytched one ouer agaynst the other seuen dayes, & it came to passe, that in the seuenth day the battayle was ioyned. And the chyldren of Israell slue of the Siri∣ans an hundred thousande foote men in one day. But the rest fled to Aphek into the citye. And there fell a wall vpon. xxvii. M. of the men that were lefte. And Benhadad fled, and came into the citye, frō chambre to chambre.

And his seruauntes sayde vnto hym: Be∣holde, we haue herde say, that the kynges of [unspec F] the house of Israel are mercyfull kyng{is}. We wyll therfore put sacke cloth oboute our loy∣nes, & ropes aboute our neckes, & go out to the kyng of Israel: yf haplye he wyl saue thy lyfe. And so they gyrded sacke cloth aboute theyr loynes, & put ropes about theyr heades & came to the kynge of Israel, and sayd: Thy seruaunt Benhadad sayth, I pray the let me lyue. He sayde: is he yet alyue? he is my bro∣ther. And they toke that worde for good lucke and hastely caught it out of his mouth and sayd: Yea thy brother Benhadad. He sayd: go bryng hym hyther. And Benhadad came out vnto hym, and he caused hym to come vp in to the charet. And he sayde vnto hym: the ci∣tyes whiche my father toke from thy father, I wyl restore agayne. And thou shalte make streetes for the in Damasco, as my father dyd in Samaria. ☞ And I wyl make an appoynt¦ment with the, & sende the awaye. And so he made an appoyntment with hym, and sente hym away. And there was a certayne man of the chyldren of the prophets, which sayd vn∣to his neyghboure in the worde of the Lorde: smyte me I pray the. And the man wolde not smyte hym. Then sayd he vnto him. Bycause thou hast not herkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde: beholde, as soone as thou arte depar∣ted from me, a lyon shall sley the. And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 came to passe, that as soone as he was departed from hym, a lyon foūde hym, and slue him. Then he founde an other man & sayde: smyte me I pray the. And the mā smote hym, so that in smytynge he wounded hym. So the pro∣phet went forth, & wayted for the kyng by the way, & put hym selfe out of knowledge with asshes whiche he layde vpon his face.

And when the kyng came by, he cryed vnto the kyng, and sayd: thy seruaunt went out in [unspec G] the myddes of the battayle. And beholde, there went away a man, whom an other man brought vnto me, and sayde: kepe this man.

And yf he be myssed or lost, thy lyfe shall go for his: or els, thou shalte paye a talent of syl∣uer. And as thy seruaunt had here and there to do, he was gone. And the kynge of Israell sayd vnto hym: euen so shall thy iudgement he, as y^• hast defined it thy self. And he hasted & toke the asshes awaye from his face: & the kyng of Israel knew hym, that he was of the prophets. And he sayd vnto hym: thus sayth the Lorde: bycause thou haste let go a man, that ☞ is in my curse, thy lyfe shal go for his life, & thy people for his people. And the king of Israell went to his house, way warde, and in displeasure, and came to Samaria.

¶ Iezabell cōmaundeth to kyll Nabath for the vyne∣yarde that he refused to sell to Ahab. Elia reproueth Ahab, and he repenteth.

CAPI. XXI.

AFter these thynges, it chaunced, that [unspec A] Naboth the Iezrahelite had a vyne¦yarde in Iezrahel, harde by the palace of Ahab kynge of Samaria. And Ahab spake vnto Naboth, sayenge. Gyue me thy vyneyarde, that I may make me a garden of herbes therof▪ bycause it lyeth so nyghe my house: & I wyll gyue the for it a better vyne¦yard then it is: or rather yf it please the, I wyl gyue the, the worth of it in money. And Na∣both sayd to Ahab: the lorde forbyd that from me, that I shulde gyue the enheritaunce of my fathers vnto the.

And Ahab came into his house heuy, and [unspec B] euyll a payde, bycause of the worde whiche Naboth the Iezrahelite had spoken to hym, for he had sayde: I wyll not gyue the, the en∣heritaunce of my fathers. And he layde hym downe vpon his bed, and turned awaye his face ❀ (to the vvall) and wolde eate no bread. But Iezabel his wyfe came to hym, and sayd vnto hym: Why is thy spirite so way warde, that thou eatest no breade? And he sayd vnto her: For I spake vnto Naboth the Iezrae∣lite, and sayde vnto hym: gyue me thy vyne¦yarde for money, or els yf it please the, I wyll gyue the an other vyneyarde for it. And he answered: I wyl not gyue the my vyneyarde,

And Iezabell his wyfe sayde vnto hym: [unspec C] Doest thou thus gouerne the kyngdome of Israel? vp, and eate bread, and set thyne hert at rest, I wyl gyue the the vyneyarde of Na∣both the Iezraelite. And so she wrote a letter in Ahabs name, and sealed it with his seale, and sent the letter vnto the elders and to the nobles that were in his citye dwellynge with Naboth. And she wrote in the letter, sayeng: proclayme a faste, and set Naboth on hye a∣mong the people, and set two vnthryftes be∣fore hym, to beare ❀ (false) wytnesse agaynst hym, saynge: ☞ thou dydest blaspheme God and the kyng. And then carye hym out, and stone hym to death.

And the men of his citye: that is to saye, [unspec D] which dwelte in his citye, dyd as Iezabel had sent vnto them, and as it was wrytten in the letter whiche she had sent vnto them. They proclaymed fastynge, and set Naboth among the cheyfe of the people, & there came in two men (the chyldren of Belial) & sat before hym. And the two vnthryftie persones wytnessed agaynst Naboth, in the presence of the people saynge: Naboth dyd blaspheme god and the kyng. And they caried hym out of the citye and stoned hym with stones that he dyed. And then they sent to Iezabel, sayenge: Na∣both [unspec E] is stoned to death. And it fortuned whē Iezabell herde that Naboth was stoned to death: she sayd to Ahab: vp, & take possessyon of the vyneyarde of Naboth, the Iezraelite, whiche he denyed to gyue the for money / for Naboth is not alyue, but deade.

And when Ahab herde that Naboth was deade, he stode vp to go downe to the vyne¦yarde of Naboth the Iezraelyte, and to take passessyon of it. And the worde of the Lorde came vnto Elia the Thesbite, sayenge: vp, & go downe to mete Ahab kynge of Israell, whiche is in Samaria. For to, he is gone downe to the vyneyarde of Naboth to take possessyon of it. And therfore shalte thou say vnto hym: thus sayth the lorde: hast thou kys¦sed, & gotten possessyon? And y^• shalte speake [unspec F] vnto hym, saynge. Thus sayth the lorde in the place where dogges lycked the bloode of Naboth, shall dogges lycke euen thy bloode also. And Ahab sayd to Elia: hast thou foūde me, O y^• myne enemye? He answered: I haue founde the: for y^• arte euen ☞ solde to worke wyckednesse in the syght of the lorde. Behold I wyll bryng euyll vpon the, and wyll make cleane ryddaunce of thy posterite, & wyl de∣stroy from Ahab, euen hym that maketh wa∣ter agaynst the wall, & hym that is shut vp & lefte behynde in Israell: and wyl make thyne house, lyke the house of Ieroboam the son of Nebat, & lyke the house of Baasa the son of Ahia, for the prouocaciō, wherwith thou hast prouoked, and made Israel to synne.

And of Iezabell spake the lorde, sayenge: [unspec G] dogges shal eate Iezabell, in the passession of Iezrael. And he that dyeth of Ahab in the towne, hym shall dogges eate: & he that dyeth in the feldes, him shal the foules of the ayre eate. But there was none lyke Ahab, which dyd euen sell hym selfe, to worke wyc∣kednesse

in the syght of the Lorde, and that bycause Iezabell his wyfe prycked hym for∣warde. He dyd excedynge abhominably, in fo¦lowyng foule ydols, accordyng to all thyng{is}, as dyd the Ammorites whom the lorde cast out before the chyldren of Israel.

And it fortuned that whē Ahab herde those wordes, he rent his clothes, and put sacke cloth aboute his flesshe, and fasted, & laye in sacke cloth & went ❀ bare fote. And the worde of the Lorde came to Elia, the Thesbyte, say∣enge: Seest thou howe Ahab humbleth hym selfe before me? bycause he so submytteth him selfe before me, I wyll not bryng that euyl in his dayes: But in his sonnes dayes, wyll I bring euyl vpō his house. And they cōtynued 〈◊〉〈◊〉. yere without war bytwene Siria & Israel.

¶ Foure hundred false Prophettes do counsell Ahab, and Iehosaphat to warre agaynst Ramoth, only Michea pro∣phesyeth the trueth, for whiche he i•• smytten, and putte in pryson. Of Ahazia, otherwyse called Ochosias.

CAPI. XXII.

ANd in the thyrde yere dyd Iehosaphat [unspec A] the kynge of Iuda, come downe to the kyng of Israel. And the kyng of Israel sayd vnto his seruauntes, knowe ye not that Ramoth in Gilead is oures? and we syt styll, and take it not out of the hande of the kynge of Siria. And he sayde vnto Iehosaphat: Wylte y^• come with me to battayle, agaynst Ramoth in Gilead? And Iehosaphat sayde vnto the kyng of Israel: I wyll be as thou arte, and my people shal be as thyne, and my horses as thyne.

And Iehosaphat sayde vnto the kynge of Israel: Aske counsel I pray the at the word of the Lorde to daye. And then the kynge of Israel gathered the prophets togyther, vpō a foure hundred men, and sayd vnto them: shal I go agaynst Ramoth in Gilead to bat∣tayle, or shall I let it alone? And they sayde, go vp: for the Lorde shall delyuer it in to the handes of the kynge.

And Iehosaphat sayd: is there here neuer [unspec B] a prophet of the Lorde more, that we myght enquyre of hym? And the kyng of Israel sayd vnto Iehosaphat: there is yet one man (Mi∣chea the sonne of Iimla,) by whom we maye aske counsayle of the lorde. But I hate hym: for he doth not prophesye good vnto me, but euyll. And Iehosaphat sayd: let not the kyng say so. Thē the kyng of Israel called a cham¦berlayne and sayde: fetche Michea the sonne of Iimla hyther atonce.

And the kyng of Israell and Iehosaphat the kyng of Iuda sat eyther in his seate, and theyr apparel on them, in the voyde place be∣syde the entryng in at the gate of Samaria, and al the prophets prophesyed before them. And Zedekia the son of Canaana made hor∣nes of yron, and sayde: thus sayth the Lorde▪ with these hornes shalt thou pushe the Siri∣ans, vntyl thou haue made an ende of them. And all the Prophettes prophesyed euen so, sayenge: Go vp to Ramoth in Gilead, and prosper, for the Lorde shall delyuer it in to the kynges hands.

And the messenger that was gone to call Michea, spake vnto hym, sayenge: Beholde, [unspec C] the wordes of the prophets speake good vn∣to the kynge with one mouth: let thy worde therfore (I pray the) be lyke the worde of eue¦rye one of them, to speake that which is good And Michea sayd: as truely as the Lorde ly∣ueth, what soeuer the Lorde saythe vnto me, that wyll I speake. And so he came to the kyng, and the kyng sayd vnto hym: Michea, ought we to go agaynst Ramoth in Gilead to battayle, or to be styll? He answered vnto hym: go and prosper, the Lorde shall dely∣uer it into the hande of the kynge. And the kynge sayde vnto hym: So and so many ty∣mes do I charge the, that y^• tel me nothynge, but that whiche is true, in the name of the lorde. He sayd: I saw all them of Israel scat∣tered vpon the hylles, as shape that haue not a shepheerde. And the lorde sayd: these haue no mayster, let euery mā returne to his house in peace. And the kyng of Israel sayde vnto Iehosaphat: dyd I not tell the, that he wolds prophesie no good vnto me, but euyll?

And he sayde agayne: heare thou therfore [unspec D] the worde of the lorde. I sawe the lorde syt on his seate, and all the hoost of heuen stode a∣boute hym, on his ryght hande, & on his lefte And the Lorde sayde. who shall persuade Ahab, that he maye go and fal at Ramoth in Gilead? And one sayd on this maner, and an other on that. And there came forth a certayn spirite, and stode before the Lorde, and sayd: I wyll persuade hym. And the Lorde sayde vnto hym: wherwith? And he sayde: I wyll go out, and be a false spirite in the mouth of all the prophettes. He sayde: thou shalte per∣suade hym, and preuayle, go forth then, & do euen so. Nowe therfore beholde, the Lorde hath put a lyenge spirite in the mouth of all these thy prophettes: and the lorde hath sp••∣spoken euyll towarde the.

But Zedekia the son of Canaana went to, and smote Michea on the cheke, and sayde: When went the spirite of the lorde from me, to speake vnto the? And Michea sayde: Be∣holde, thou shalte se in that daye, when thou shalt go frō chambre to chambre to hyde the.

And the kynge of Israel sayde: take Mi∣chea, and carye hym vnto Amon the gouer∣nour of the citye, and vnto Ioab the kynges sonne, and say: thus sayth the kyng. Put this felow in the pryson house, and fede hym with bread of affliction, and with water of trouble vntyl I returne in peace.

And Michea sayde: If thou returne in [unspec E] peace, the Lorde hath not spoken by me. And he sayde: herken ye people euery one of you. And so the kyng of Israell and Iehosaphat the kynge of Iuda wente vp to Ramoth in Gilead. And the kynge of Israell sayd to Ie∣hosaphat: ☞ chaunge the, when thou goest to warre: and put on thyne apparel. And the kynge of Israel chaunged hym selfe, & wente to battayle. But the kynge of Siria cōmaun¦ded the. xxxii. captaynes (that had rule ouer his charettes) sayenge: fyght neyther with small nor great, saue onely agaynst the kyng of Israell. And when the captaynes of the charettes sawe Iehosaphat, they sayde. Su∣rely it is the kynge of Israell, and they tur∣ned to fyght agaynst hym. And Iehosaphat cryed. And so it came to passe, that when the captaynes of the charettes sawe that he was not the kynge of Israell, they turned backe from hym. And a certayne man drewe a bow ygnorauntly, and ❀ (by chaunce) smote the kynge of Israel bytwene the rybbes, and his harnesse. Wherfore he sayde vnto the dryuer of his charettes: turne thy hande, and carye me out of the hoost, for I am ❀ (sore) hurte. And the battayle encreased that day, and the kynge stode styll in his charet agaynste the Sirians, and dyed at euen. And the bloode ranne out of the wounde into the myddes of the charet.

And there went a proclamacion thorowout [unspec F] the hoost aboute the goyng downe of the son sayenge: Euery man to his citye, and to his owne countrey. And so the kynge of Israell dyed, and they came to Samaria, and buried hym there. And one wasshed the charet in the pole of Samaria and the dogges lycked vp his blood (and harlottes wasshed by the pole syde) accordynge to the worde of the Lorde, whiche he spake. The rest of the wordes that concerne Ahab & all that he dyd, and the Iurye house whiche he made, and all the ci∣tyes that he buylded, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel? And so Ahab slepte with his fathers, and Ahazia his sonne reygned in his steade.

Iehosaphat the sonne of Asa beganne to reygne vpon Iuda in the fourth yere of Ahab kyng of Israel, and Iehosaphat was xxxv. yere olde when he began to reygne, and reygned. xxv. yere in Ierusalē. His mothers name was Azuba the doughter of Silhi. And he walked in all the wayes of Asa his fa¦ther and bowed not therfrom: but dyd that whiche was ryght in the eyes of the Lorde. Neuerthelesse, the hyll aulters were not ta∣ken out of the way: for the people offered and burnt insence yet, in the hyll aulters.

And Iehosaphat made peace with the [unspec G] kynge of Israell. The rest of the wordes that concerne Iehosaphat, & the myght that he vsed, & howe he warred, are they not wryt∣ten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kyng{is} of Iuda? And the remenaunt of the stues of the males, whiche remayned in the dayes of his father, he put cleane out of the lande.

There was then no kynge made in Edom. And Iehosaphat made. x. shyppes in the see, to come ☞ thorowe Tharsis to Ophir for Golde, but they wente not: For the shyppes brake at Ozion Gaber. Then sayde Ahazia the sonne of Ahab vnto Iehosaphat: let my seruauntes go w^t thy seruauntes in the ship∣pes. But Iehosaphat wolde not. And Iosa∣phat dyd slepe with his fathers, and was bu¦ryed with his fathers in the citye of Dauid his father. And Iehoram his sonne reygned in his steade. Ahazia the sonne of Ahab begā to reygne ouer Israel in Samaria, the seuen∣tenth yere of Iehosaphat kyng of Iuda, and reygned two yeres ouer Israell. But he dyd euyll in the syght of the lorde, and walked in the way of his father, & in the way of his mo¦ther, and in the waye of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, whiche made Israel to synne. For he serued Baal, & worshypped hym, and pro∣uoked the Lorde God of Israel vnto wrath, accordyng vnto all that his father 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

❧ The ende of the thyrde boke of the Kynges after the rekenynge of the Latinystes: whiche the Hebrues call the fyrst boke of the Kynges.

¶ The fourth boke of the Kynges / after the Latunstes which boke / & the thyrde togyther / is but one ☞ with the Hebrues.

¶ The captaynes ouer fiftye with theyr sould yours are burnte with fyre from heuen, by the prayer of Elia. Ahazia is reproued of Elia, and dyeth. and Ieho∣ram his brother succedeth hym.

CAPI. Primo.

[unspec A] ANd Moab ❀ dyd wycked¦ly agaynst Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahazia fell thorow a lattesse wyndowe of his vpper chambre that he had in Samaria: and whyle he was in his syckenesse, he sent messengers, and sayd vnto them: go and enquyre of Beel∣zebub the God of Ekrom, whyther I shal re∣couer of this my disease. But the angell of the Lorde spake to Elia the Thesbite: Aryse, & go vp agaynst the messengers of the kyng of Samaria and say vnto them. Is there not a God in Israel, that ye go to aske counsayle at Beelzabub the God of Ekrom? Wherfore thus sayth the Lorde: thou shalte not come downe from the bed on whiche thou art gone vp, but shalte dye the death, & Elia departed.

And when the messengers turned backe agayne vnto hym, he sayde vnto them: why [unspec B] are ye nowe come agayne? They answered hym: there came a man vp agaynst vs, & sayd vnto vs? Go & turne agayne vnto the kynge that sent you, and say vnto hym. Thus sayth the Lorde. Is there not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquyre of Beelzebub the god of Ekrom? Therfore thou shalte not come downe from the bed on whiche thou art gone vp, but shalt dye the death. And he sayd vnto them. What manera man was that, which came vp in your waye, & tolde you these wor∣des? And they answered hym: it was an hee∣rye man and gyrde with a gyrdle of lether aboute his loynes. And he sayd: it is Elia the Thesbite. Then the kynge sent vnto hym a captayne ouer fyftie (w^t his fyftie men) which came to hym: and beholde, he sat on the top of an hyll. And he spake vnto hym. Thou man of god, the kyng hath sayd: come downe.

Elia answered & sayd to the captayne ouer [unspec C] the fyftie: Yf I be a man of God, fyre come downe from heuen, and consume the and thy fyftye. And there came fyre of god, and con¦sumed hym and his fyftye. And the kynge went agayne, & sent to hym an other captayn ouer fyftye with his fyftie. And he answered and sayd vnto hym: O mā of God, thus hath the kyng sayd: make hast, and come downe. Elia answered & sayde vnto them: Yf I be a man of God, fyre come downe from heuen, & consume the & thy fyftie. And there came fyre of God downe from heuen, & consumed hym & his fyftie. And the kynge went agayne and sent the thyrde captayne ouer fyftie with his fiftie men. And the thyrde captayne ouer fyf∣tie went vp, and came & fell on his knees be∣fore Elia, and besought hym, and sayde vnto hym: O man of god, let my lyfe, and the lyfe of these fyfiye thy seruauntes be precyous in thy syght. Beholde, there came fyre downe [unspec D] from heuen, & burnt vp the two fore captay∣nes ouer fyftie with theyr fyfties: therfore let my lyfe nowe be precyous in thy syght. And the angell of the Lorde sayde vnto Elia: Go downe w^t hym, & be not afrayde of hym. And he arose and went downe with hym vnto the kyng. And he sayd vnto hym, thus sayth the lorde: for as moche as thou hast sent messen∣gers to aske counsayle at Beelzebub the god of Ekrom, as though there had bene no god in Israell / whose worde thou myghtest like after: Therfore thou shalte not come downe of the bed, on whiche thou arte gone vp, but shalt dye the death. And so he dyed accordyng to the worde of the lorde which Elia had spo∣ken. And Iehoram ❀ (his brother) began to reygne in his steade, in the seconde yeare of Iehoram the son of Iehosaphat kyng of Iu∣da, bycause he had no sonne. The rest of the wordes that concerne Ahazia, what thynges he dyd, are they not wrytten in the boke of the cronicles of the kynges of Israel.

¶ Elia deuydeth the waters with his maritell. He ••s taken vp in to heuen. The b••tter and venemous wat••rs are healed. The chyldren that mocke Hes••••••us (otherwyse c••ll••d Elisa,) are rent in peces.

CAPI. II.

ANd it chaunced, that when the Lorde [unspec A] wolde take vp Elia in to heuen ☞ by a whyrlewynde, Elia went with Elisa frō Gilgal. And Elia sayde vnto Elisa, tary here I pray the, for the Lorde hath sent me to Be∣thel. Elisa sayd vnto hym: as surely as the lorde lyueth, and as thy soule lyueth, I wyll not leaue the. And they came downe to Be∣thel. And the chyldren of the Prophets that were at Bethell, came out to Elisa, and sayde vnto hym: knowest thou not, howe that the Lorde wyll take away thy mayster ☞ frō thy heade this day?

He sayde: I know it also, holde ye youre peace. And Elia sayde vnto hym: Elisa, tary here I praye the, for the lorde hath sent me to Iericho. He sayd: as surely as the lord lyueth and as surely as thy soule lyueth, I wyll not

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leaue the, and so they came to Iericho. And the chyldren of the Prophettes that were at Iericho came to Elisa and sayde vnto hym: [unspec B] Knowest thou not, that the Lorde wyll take awaye thy mayster from thy heade this day? He answered: I knowe it also, holde ye youre peace. And Elia sayd vnto hym: tary I pray the here, for the lorde hath sent me to Iordā. He sayd: as surely as the Lorde lyueth, & as thy soule lyueth, I wyll not leaue the. And so they two went togyther. And fyftye mē of the sonnes of the prophets came & stode on the o∣ther syde a far of, & they two stode by Iordan. And Elia toke his mantell and wrapte it to∣gyther, & smote the waters, and they were de∣uided, parte the one way and parte the other, so that they two went ouer thorowe the drye lande. And it fortuned, that as soone as they were ouer, Elia sayd vnto Elisa: aske what I shall do for the, or I be taken away from the. And Elisa sayd: I praye the ☞ let thy spirite be double vpon me. And he sayde: thou hast asked an harde thyng. Neuerthelesse, yf thou se me when I am taken away from the, thou shalte haue it so: yf thou do not, it shal not be. And it fortuned, that as they went walkyng and talkyng: Beholde there appeared a cha∣ret of fyre and horses of fyre, and parted them both a sonder.

And Elia wente vp thorowe the whyrle [unspec C] wynde in to heuen. And Elisa, sawe, & cryed. O my father, O my father, the charet of Is∣rael and the horsemen therof, & he sawe hym no more: and he toke his owne clothes, and rente them in two peces. He toke vp also the mantell of Elia that fell from hym, and went backe agayne, and stode by Iordans syde, & toke the mantell of Elia (that fell from hym) and smote the waters ❀ (and they parted not a sonder,) and he sayd: where is the lorde god of Elia, and he hym selfe? And when he had smytten the waters, they parted this waye & that way, and Elisa went ouer. And when the chyldren of the prophettes which were at Ie∣richo sawe hym from a farre, they sayde: the spirite of Elia doth rest on Elisa, & they came to mete hym, and fell to the grounde before hym, and sayde vnto hym: Se, there be with thy seruauntes fyftie strong men, ☞ let them go and seke thy mayster: haply the spirite of the lorde hath taken hym vp, & cast him vpon some mountayne or in to some valley. And he sayd: Ye shall sende none. And when they say vpon hym tyl he was ashamed, he sayd: send. They sent therfore fyftie men, whiche sought hym thre dayes, but founde hym not. And when they came agayne to hym, whiche ta∣ried at Iericho, he sayd vnto them, dyd I not say vnto you, that ye shulde not go?

And the men of the citye sayd vnto Elisa [unspec D] Beholde. Syr, the dwellynge of this citye is pleasaunt as thou my lorde seest: but the wa∣ters is nought and the grounde bareyne. He sayde: brynge me a newe cruse, and put salte therin. And they brought it to hym. And he went vnto the spryng of the waters, and cast the salte in thyther, and sayde: thus sayth the Lorde: I haue healed this water, there shall not come henceforth eyther death or bareyn∣nesse. So the waters were healed vnto this daye, accordynge to the sayenge of Heliseus, which he spake. And he went vp from thence vnto Bethel. And as he was goynge vp the waye, there came lytell chyldren out of the ci∣tye, and mocked hym, and sayd vnto hym: go vp thou balde heade, go vp thou balde heade And he turned backe and loked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lorde. And there came two she Beares out of that wood, and tare. xlii. chyldren of them. And he went from thence to mount Carmel, & from thence he turned agayne to Samaria.

¶ The kynges of Israell, Iuda, and Edom lacke water, whiche they obteyne through the prayer of Heliseus. The kynge of Moab fygh: eth agaynst Israell.

CAPI. III.

I Ehoram the son of Ahab began to reygne [unspec A] vpon Israel in Samaria the. xviii. yere of Iehosaphat kyng of Iuda, and reygned twelue yeres. And he wrought euyll in the syght of the Lorde: but not lyke his father, and lyke his mother, for he put awaye the ymages of Baal, that his father had made. Neuerthelesse, he ☞ cleaued vnto the synnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, (whiche made Israel to synne) and departed not ther∣from. And Mesa kyng of Moab was a lorde of shepe, and rendred vnto the kynge of Is∣raell an hundred thousande lambes and an hundred thousande rammes with the wolle. But when Ahab was deade, it fortuned, that the kyng of Moab rebelled agaynst the king of Israell. And kynge Iehoram went out of Samaria the same ceason, and nombred all Israell, and wente, and sente to Iehosaphat the kynge of Iuda, sayenge: The kynge of Moab hath offended agaynst me, wylte thou come with me agaynst Moab to battayle? He answered: I wyll come vp, for as I am, so arte thou, ☞ and as my people be, so are thy people, and thy horses as myne. And he sayde: What waye shall we go vp? And he answered: the waye thorowe the wyldernesse of Edom.

And so the kyng of Israell toke his iour∣ney, [unspec B] and the kyng of Iuda, and the kynge of Edom. And when they had compassed the waye seuen dayes, they had no water for the hoost and for the cattell that folowed them. And the kyng of Israel sayd: Alas, the Lorde hath called these thre kyng{is} togyther, to dely∣uer them ouer in to the hande of Moab. But Iehosaphat sayd: Is there not heare a pro¦phet of the Lorde, that we may enquyre of the Lorde by hym? And one of the kynge of Is∣raels seruauntes answered and sayde: here is Elisa the sonne of Saphat, whiche ☞ pow∣red water on the handes of Elia. And Ieho∣saphat sayde: Is not the worde of the Lorde with hym? And so the kynge of Israel, & Ie∣hosaphat and the king of Edom went downe to hym. And Elisa sayde vnto the kynge of Israel: what haue I to do with the? get the to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophet¦tes of thy mother. And the kynge of Israell sayd vnto hym: ☞ Oh nay, for the lorde hath called these thre kynges togyther to delyuer them in to the hande of Moab. And Elisa sayd: As sure as the Lorde of hoostes lyueth (in whose syght I stande) & it were not that I regarde the presence of Iehosaphat, the kyng of Iuda, I wolde not loke towarde the nor yet se the. But now bryng me a mynstrel. And when the mynstrell played, the hande of [unspec C] the lorde came vpon hym. And he sayd, thus sayth the Lorde: make this playne grounde full of dytches. For thus sayth the Lorde: Ye shall se neyther wynde nor rayne, and yet the broke shall be fylled with water, that ye may drynke, both ye and your beastes, and youre cattell. And this is yet but a small thynge in the syght of the lorde, for as moche as he wyl gyue ouer the Moabites also into your han∣des. And ye shal smyte euery strong towne, & euery goodly citye, and shall fell euery plea∣saunt tree, and stop euery well of water, and mar euery good plat of groūde with stones. And in the mornyng, when the meatofferyng was offered, it fortuned, that there came wa∣ter by the way from Edom, and the countrey was fylled w^t water. And when all the Moa¦bites herde that the kynges were come vp to fyght agaynst them, they gathered all togy∣ther, from the yongest that was able to put on harnesse and so vpwarde, and stode in the border. And they were vp early in the mor∣nynge and the sonne shone vpon the water, that the Moabites sawe the water a farre of as red as blood, and they sayde. This is the blood of slaughter: the kynges are sleyne and one hath smytten an other. Nowe therfore Moab get the to the spoyle. [unspec D]

And when they came to the hoost of Israel the Israelites stode vp and smote the Moa∣bites, so that they fled before them. But they folowed vpon them, and smote Moab. And they ouerthrewe the cityes, & on euery good parcell of lande, cast euery man his stone, & fylled it, and they stopte all the welles of wa∣ters, & felled all the good trees. Onely ☞ in the citye, of brycke lefte they the stones ther∣of: Howbeit they went aboute it with slynges and smote it. And when the kynge of Moab sawe, that the battayle was sore agaynst him he toke with hym vii. hundred mē that drewe the swerde, to haue gone thorowe, euen vnto the kyng of Edom. But they coulde not. And then he toke his eldest son (that shulde haue reygned in his steade) and offered hym for a burntofferyng vpon the wall. And there was great indignacion agaynst Israell, and they departed from hym, and returned vnto theyr owne lande.

¶ God gyueth a certayne po•••• woman Oyle by Heliseus▪ Heliseus (whom the text calleth Elisa) obteyneth of g•••• & Chylde for his hoostesse, whiche dyeth, and is after raysed to lyfe. He maketh swete the pottage, and mult: plyeth the loues.

CAPI. IIII. ✚

ANd there cryed a certeyne woman ☞ of [unspec A] the wyues of the prophettes vnto Elisa sayeng. Thy seruaunt my husbande is deade, and thou knowest, that thy seruaunt dyd feare the Lorde. And the creditoure is come to fet my two sonnes, to be his bonde men. Elisa sayd vnto her. Tell me what shal I do for the? What hast thou in thyne house? She sayde: thyne handmayde hath nothyng at all in the house, saue a pytcher with oyle.

He sayde vnto her: Go and borowe vessels for the, of them that are without, euen of all thy neyghbours, emptie vessels and that not a fewe. And when thou arte come in, y^u shalte shut the dore after the and after thy sonnes, & powre out into all those vessels, and set asyde that whiche is full.

And so the woman went from hym, & shu•• [unspec B] the dore after her and after her sonnes. And they brought to her, & she powred out. And it came to passe, that when the vessels were ••ul, she sayde vnto her son: bryng me yet a vessel: And he sayd vnto her: I haue no mo. And the oyle ceased. Then she came, and tolde the mā of God. And he sayde: Go and sell the oyle, & pay them that thou arte in det vnto, but lyue thou and thy chyldren of the rest. ⊢

And it fell on a daye, that Elisa came to Sunem, where was ☞ a great woman that toke hym in, for to eate breade. And so it came

to passe, that from that tyme forth (as ofte as he came that waye) he turned in thyther to eate bread. And she sayd vnto her husbande: Beholde, I perceyue, that this is a holy mā of God, that cometh so ofte by our place. Let vs make hym a chambre (I praye the) with walles, and let vs set hym there a bed, and a table, a stole and a candelstycke: that he maye turne in thyther when he cometh to vs.

And it fortuned on a daye, that he came [unspec C] thyther and turned into the chambre, and lay therin, and sayde to Gehezi his seruaunt: call this Sunamite. And when he called her, she presented her selfs before hym. And agayne he sayde vnto hym: Tell her: Beholde, thou hast bene carefull for vs, and hast made all this prouision: what shal we nowe do for the? woldest thou be spoken for to the kynge or to the captayne of the hoost? She answered ☞ I dwel among myne owne people. And he sayd agayne, what is to be done for her? Gehezi answered: Uerely she hath no chylde, and her husbande is olde. And he sayde: call her. And when he had called her, she stode in the dore. And he sayde by suche a tyme, and as soone as the fruyte can lyue, thou shalte enbrace a sonne. And she sayd: Oh nay my Lorde, thou mā of god, do not lye vnto thyne handmayd. And the wyfe conceyued, and bare a son that same season that Eliseus had sayd vnto her, as soone as the fruyte coulde haue lyfe.

And when the chylde was growne, it fell [unspec D] on a day, that he went out to his father, and to the reapers. And he sayde vnto his father, my heade, my heade. And he sayde to a lad: carye hym to his mother.

And when he had taken hym and brought hym to his mother, he sat on her knees tyll noone, and then dyed. And she wente vp and layde hym on the bed of the man of God, and shut the dore aboute hym, and went out, and called vnto her husbande, and sayde: Sende with me (I praye the) one of the yonge men and one of the Asses, for I wyll runne to the man of God, and come agayne. And he sayd: wherfore wylt thou go to hym, seynge that to¦day is neyther new moone nor Sabboth day. She answered: For helthe. Then she sadled an Asse and sayd to her seruaunt: leade away the Asse, and make her not to go slowly (by∣cause I ryde vpon her) but when I byd the.

✚ And so she went and came vnto the man [unspec E] of God, to mount Carmell. And it fortuned, that when the man of God sawe her a farre of, he sayde to Gehezi his seruaunt. Beholde yonder is the Sunamite. Runne therfore to mete her, and say vnto her: Is all well with the and with thy husbande, and with the lad? And she answered: all is well. And when she came to the man of God vp to the hylle, she caught hym by the feete. But Gihezi went to her to thrust her away. And the man of God sayd: let her alone, for her soule is vexed w^tin her, and the Lorde hath hyd it from me, and hath not tolde it me. Then she sayde: dyd I desyre a sonne of my lorde? dyd I not require the, that thou shuldest not deceyue me?

Then he sayde to Gehezi: Gyrde vp thy loynes, and take my staffe in thyne hande, & go thy waye. If thou mete any man ☞ sa∣lute hym not. And yf any salute the, answere hym not agayne. And lay my staffe vpon the face of the chyld. And the mother of the chyld sayde: As sure as the Lorde lyueth, and as thy soule lyueth, I wyll not leaue the. And he arose and folowed her. Gehezi went before them, and layd the staffe vpon the face of the chylde, But there was neyther voyce nor any felynge. Wherfore he wente agayne to mete hym, and tolde hym, saynge: the chylde is not awaked. And when Elisa was come in to the house: Beholde, the childe was deade & layde vpon his bed.

He wente in therfore, and shut the dore to [unspec F] the lad and hym, and prayed vnto the Lorde. And went vp and lay vpon the lad, and put his mouth vpon his mouth, & his eyes vpon his eyes, and his handes vpon his handes, and whē he so lay vpon the chylde, the flesshe of the chylde waxed warme. And ☞ he went agayne, and walked once vp and downe in the house, and then went vp, and layde hym selfe vpon hym agayne. And then the chylde¦nesed seuen tymes and opened his eyes. And he called Gehezi, and sayd: Call for this Su¦namite. So he called her: whiche when she was come in vnto hym, he sayde vnto her: take thy son. Therfore she went in and fell at his feete, & bowed her selfe to the grounde, and toke vp her sonne, and wente out. ⊢

Elisa came agayne to Gilgall, and there [unspec G] was a derth in the lande, and the chyldren of the prophettes dwelte with hym. And he sayd vnto his seruaunt: Set a greate pot on the fyre, and make pottage for the children of the prophettes. And one went out into the felde, to gather herbes, and founde ❀ (as it vvere) a wylde vyne, and gathered therof wylde Co∣loquintidas his lapfull, and came, and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knewe it not. So they powred out for the mē to eate And it fortuned, that when they tasted of the pottage, they cryed out, and sayde: Oh thou man of God, ☞ there is death in the pot: and

they coulde not eate therof. But he sayde: brynge meale. And he cast it into the pot, and sayde: fyll for the people, that they may eate, and there was no more harme in the pot.

There came a man from Baall Salisa, & brought the man of God breade of the fyrste fruytes, euen. xx. loues of barley, & new corne whiche was yet in his bagges. And he sayd: Gyue vnto the people that they maye eate. And his minyster answered: why, shall I set this before an hūdred men? He sayd agayne: gyue it vnto the people that they maye eate. For thus sayeth the lorde, they shall eate, & there shalbe lefte ouer. And so he set it before them, and they dyd eate, and lefte ouer, accor¦dynge to the worde of the Lorde.

¶ Naaman the Sirian is heale•• of his Leprosye. Gehezi is stryken with a Leprosye, bycause he toke money and rayment of Naaman.

CAPI. V. ✚

NAaman, captayne of the hooste of the [unspec A] kynge of Siria, was a great man, and honourable in the syght of his mayster bycause that by hym the Lorde had gyuen ❀ health vnto Siria. He was also a myghty man, and experte in war, but he was a leper. And the Siryans had gone out by compa∣nyes, and had brought out of the countrey of Israell a lytle mayde, & she was with Naa∣mans wyfe. And she sayde vnto her, ladye: I wolde to god my lorde were with the prophet that is in Samaria: for he wolde delyuer hym of his leprosye. And ☞ he went in, and tolde his Lorde, saynge: thus and thus sayde the mayde, that is of the lande of Israel. And the kynge of Siria, sayde: Come & entre in, and I wyl sende a letter vnto the kyng of Israel.

And he came, and toke with hym ten ta∣lentes [unspec B] of syluer, and syxe. M. peces of golde, and ten chaunge of rayment{is}, & brought the letter to the kynge of Israell cōteynyng this tenour: Nowe when this letter is come vnto the: Beholde, I haue therwith sent Naaman my seruaunt to the, that thou mayst ryd hym of his leprosye. And it fortuned, that whē the kynge of Israell had red the letter, he rent his clothes, and sayde: am I God, that I shulde sley, and make alyue? for he doth send to me that I shulde delyuer a man from his leprosye. Wherfore consyder (I praye you) and se howe he seketh a quarell agaynst me•• which when Elisa the man of god had herde, howe that the kynge of Israell had rent his clothes, he sent to the kynge, sayenge: Wher∣fore hast thou rent thy clothes? let hym come nowe to me, and he shall knowe, that there is a Prophet in Israell.

And so Naaman came with his horses, & [unspec C] with his charettes, and stoode at the dore of the house of Elisa. And Elisa sent a messen∣ger vnto hym, sayenge, go and was••he the in Iorbane seuen tymes, •• thy fleshe shall come agayne to the, and thou shalt be clensed: But Naaman was wroth, and went awaye, and sayde: Beholde, I thought with my selfe: he wolde surely come out, and stande and cal on the name of the lorde his god, & put his hand on the place that he maye heale the leprosye. Are not Abana and Pharphar, ryuers of Da¦masco, better then all the waters of Israell?

Yf I washe me also in them, shall I not be clensed? And so he turned hym, and departed with displeasure. And his seruauntes came, and cōmuned with hym, and sayde: Father / yf the Prophet had byd the do some greate thynge, oughtest thou not to haue done it.

Howe moche rather then, when he sayeth [unspec D] to the: wasshe, and be cleane? Then went he downe, & wasshed hym selfe seuen tymes in Iordan, accordyng to the saynge of the man of god, and his flesh chaunged, lyke vnto the fleshe of a lytle chylde, and he was clensed. And he turned agayne to the man of god, he and all his cōpanye, & stode before hym, and sáyde. Beholde, I knowe nowe that there is no god in all the worlde, but in Israell. ⊢ Nowe therfore take ☞ a blessyng of thy ser∣uaunt. But he sayde: as surely as the lorde lyueth (before whome I stande) I wyll re∣ceyue none. And when the other wolde haue constrayned hym to receyue it, he wolde not.

And Naamā sayd: ❀ (Euen as thou vvyl••, [unspec E] but I beseche the.) ☞ Shall there not be gy∣uen to thy seruaunt as moch of this earth as two Mules maye beare? For thy seruaunte wyll hence forth offre neyther burntsacrifyce nor offerynge vnto any other god, saue vnto the lorde. But herein the lorde be mercyful to thy seruaunt, that when my mayster goeth in to the house of Rimmō & doth worshyp there, and leaneth on my hand, and I also worshyp in the house of Rimmō, (when I do worshyp I say) in the house of Rimmon, the Lorde be mercyfull vnto thy seruaunt bycause of this thynge. Unto whom he sayd: go in peace.

And when he was departed from hym as [unspec F] it were a furlonge of ground, Gehezi the ser∣uaunt of Elisa the man of god, sayd: behold / my mayster hath spared Naaman this Si∣ryan, that he wolde not receyue of his hande those thyng{is} that he offered. As surely as the Lorde lyueth, I wyll run after hym, and take some what of hym. And so Gehezi folowed Naaman. And when Naaman saw hym run

nynge after hym, he lyght downe from the charet, to mete hym▪ and sayde: is all well? He answered: All is well, Beholde, my may∣ster hath sent me, sayenge: se, there be come to me euen nowe from mounte Ephraim two yonge men of the chyldren of the prophettes: gyue them I praye the, one talent of syluer, & two chaunge of garmentes.

And Naaman sayde: With a good wyll. [unspec G] Take two talentes: and he compelled hym to bynde two talentes of syluer in two bagg{is} / with two chaunge of garmentes, and layde them vpon two of his seruauntes, to beare them before hym. And when he came into a secrete place, he toke them from theyr hande / & bestowed it in the house, and the men were let go, & they departed. But he went in, and stode before his mayster. And Elisa sayd vn∣to hym: whence cōmest thou Gehezi? He sayd: thy seruaunt went no whyther. But he sayde vnto hym: wente not myne herte with the, when the man turned agayne from his cha∣ret to mete the? ❀ Is it nowe a tyme to re∣ceyue money, to receyue garmentes, Olyue trees, vyneyardes, shepe & oxen, men seruaū∣tes and mayde seruaūtes? The leprosye ther¦fore of Naaman shall cleue vnto the, and vn¦to thy seede for euer. And he went out from his presence a leper, as whyte as snowe.

¶ Elisa maketh yron to swymme aboue the water. The Serians beseyge Israell, so that two women agree togyther to eate theyr owne Chyldren.

CAPI. VI.

THe chyldren of the prophettes sayde vn∣to [unspec A] Elisa: Beholde, the place where we dwel with the, is to lytle for vs. We wyl therfore go vnto Iordane, and take thence euery man a beame, and buylde vs a place, to dwell in. And he answered: go. And one sayd: be content I pray the, and come with thy ser∣uauntes. And he answered: I wyll come, and so he went with them. And when they came to Iordane, they cut downe wood. But it for¦tuned, that as one was fellynge downe of a tree, th•• axe heade fell into the water. And he cryed, & sayde: Alas mayster, it was lent me. And the man of god sayd, where fell it? And he shewed hym the place. And he cut downe a stycke, and cast it in thyther, and immedyatly the yron dyd swym. Therfore sayd he: take it vp. And he stretched out his hand, & toke it vp [unspec B]

But the kynge of Siria warred agaynst Israell, & toke coūsayle with his seruauntes. and sayd: In yonder secrete place shall be my remaynynge. And the man of God sent vnto the kynge of Israell, sayenge: Beware, that thou go not ouer to soche a place, for there the Sirians are lurkyng. Therfore the kynge of Israell sent to the place which the man of god tolde hym, & warned hym of, and saued hym selfe from it, not once nor twyse. And the herte of the kynge of Siria was troubled for this thyng, & he called for his seruaūtes, and sayde vnto them: wyll ye not shew me, which of our men ❀ (betrayeth me) to the kynge of Israell? And one of his seruaūtes sayd: none [unspec C] my lorde O kynge. But Elisa the Prophet, that is in Israell, telleth the kynge of Israel, yea euer, the wordes that thou speakest in thy preuye chambre. He sayde: go, & spye where he is, that I maye sende and fet hym. And one tolde hym, sayenge: beholde, he is in Dothā.

Therfore sent he thyther horses & charet∣tes, and a myghtye hooste. And they came by nyght, & compassed the citye about. And whē the seruaunt of the man of god rose vp early to go out: Beholde, there was an hoost roūde aboute the towne with horses and charettes. And his seruaunt sayd vnto him: Alas may∣ster, what shall we do? He answered feare not, for they that be with vs, are mo then they that be with them.

And Elisa prayed & sayd: lorde (I beseche [unspec D] the) open his eyes, that he maye se. And the lorde opened the eyes of the yonge man. And beholde, the mountayne was full of horses / and charettes of fyre rounde aboute Elisa.

And when they came downe to hym, Elisa prayed vnto the lorde, & sayd: Smyte this peo∣ple (I praye the) with blyndnesse. And he smote them with blyndnes, accordyng to the desyre of Elisa. And Elisa sayde vnto them, this is not the way, neyther is this the towne folowe me, and I wyll bryng you to the man whome ye seke. But he led them to Samaria.

And it fortuned that when they were come [unspec G] to Samaria, Elisa sayde: Lorde, open theyr eyes / that they may se. And the lorde opened theyr eyes, & they saw. And behold, they were in the mydd{is} of Samaria. And the kyng of Israell sayd vnto Elisa, when he saw them: My father, shall I smyte them: And he an∣swered: Thou shalte not smyte them. But smyte those that thou hast taken with thyne owne swerde and with thyne owne bow. But rather set breade and water before them, that they maye eate & drynke, & go to theyr may∣ster. And he prepared a greate refection for them. And when they had eaten and dronke, he sent them awaye, and they went to theyr mayster. And so the souldyours of Siria ☞ came no more into the lande of Israel.

After this it chaunced, that Benhadad [unspec F] kynge of Siria gathered all his hooste, and went vp, and beseyged Samaria. But there

was a greate derth in Samaria: & beholde, they beseyged it, vntyll an Asses heade (was ••olde) for. lxxx. syluer pens, & the fourth part of ☞ a Cab of doues dounge for fyue sycles.

And as the Kynge of Israell was goynge vpon the wall, there cryed a womā vnto hym saynge: helpe, my lorde O kynge. He sayd: yf the lorde do not succour the: wherwith can I helpe the: ☞ with the barne, or w^t the wyne presse? And the kynge sayde vnto her: what wylt thou? She answered: yonder woman sayde vnto me: brynge thy son, that we maye eate hym to daye, & we wyll eate myne to mo∣rowe. And so we dressed my son & dyd eate hym. And I sayde to her the other day: bryng thy Sonne that we maye eate hym, and she hath hyd her sonne.

And it came to passe, that when the kynge [unspec G] herde the wordes of the woman / he rent his clothes, & went vp on the wall. And the peo∣ple loked: & behold, he had a sacke clothe vn∣der, vpon his flesshe. Then he sayde: God do so & so to me, yf the heade of Elisa the son of Saphat shall stande on hym this day. But Elisa sat in his house, & the elders sat by him and the kynge sent a man before hym. But or the messenger came to hym, he sayde to the elders: haue ye not sene, howe that ☞ the son of this murtherer hath sent, to take awaye myne heade? Be circumspecte when the mes∣senger cōmeth, & shut the dore, & holde hym at the dore: is not the sounde of his maysters feete behynde him? Whyle he yet talked with them: Beholde, the messēger came downe vn¦to hym, & sayd beholde, ☞ this euyll is of the lorde, & what more shal I loke for of the lord?

¶ Elisa prophesyeth plenteousnes of vyttayles, and oth•••• thynges to Samaria. The Sirians runne away, and haue no man folowynge them The lorde that wolde not byleue the worde of Elisa is troden to death.

CAPI. VII.

THen Elisa sayde: heare ye the worde of [unspec A] the lorde: thus sayeth the lorde: to mo∣rowe this tyme shall a busshell of fyne floure be solde for a Sicle, & two busshels of Barley for a Sycle in the gate of Samaria. Then a certayne Lorde (on whose hande the kynge leaned) answered the man of god, and sayde: beholde, yf the lorde wolde make wyn∣dowes in heuen, myght this sayenge come to passe? He sayde: beholde, thou shalt se it with thyne eyes, but shalte not eate therof. And there were foure leperous men at the ente∣tynge in of the gate. And they sayde one to a∣nother, why syt we here, vntyll we dye? Yf we saye: we wyll entre into the citye, beholde, the derth is in the citye, and we shall dye therin. And yf we syt styll here, we dye also, Nowe therfore come, & let vs fall vpon the hoost of the Sirians: If they saue our lyues we shal lyue: Yf they kyl vs, then are we dead And so they arose in the nyght, to go to the hoost of the Sirians. And when they were come to the vttermoost parte of the hoost of Siria: beholde, there was no man there.

For the lord had made the hoost of the Si∣rians [unspec B] to heare a noyse of charett{is} & a noyse or horses, and the noyse of a great hoost. In so moche that they sayde one to another, lo, the kynge of Israell hath hyred agaynst vs the kynges of the Hethites, & the kynges of the Egyptyans, to come vpon vs. Wherfore they arose & fled in the nyght, & left theyr ten tes, theyr horses, and theyr Asses, & the felde whiche they had pytched euen as it was, and fled for theyr lyues. And when these lepers came to the edge of the hoost, they went in to a tent, and dyd eate, & drynke, & caryed thence syluer and golde & rayment, & went and hyd it: & came agayne & entred in to another tent / and caryed thence also, and went and hyd it.

Then sayde one to another: we do not well this daye, for asmoch as it is a day to brynge good tydynges / & we holde our peace. Yf we tarye tyll the day lyght, some myscheyfe wyl come vpon vs. Nowe therfore come, that we maye go, and tell the kynges housholde. [unspec C]

And so they came, & called vnto the porter of the citye, & tolde them sayenge: we came to the pauilions of the Sirians: & se, there was no man there, neyther voyce of man, but hor∣ses & asses tyed, and the tentes were, euen as they were wont to be. And so the man called vnto the porters, and they tolde the kynges house w^tin. And the kyng arose in the nyght, & sayde vnto his seruaūtes: I wyll shew you nowe, what the Sirians haue done vnto vs▪ They knowe that we be hungrye, and ther∣fore are they gone out of the pauilyons, to hyde them selues in the felde, sayenge: When they come out of the citie, we shall earth them alyue, and get into the citye. And one of his seruauntes answered, & sayde: Let men ta•••• (I pray you) fyue of the horses that remayne & are lefte in the multytude. Beholde ☞ they are euen as all the multytude of Israell that are lefte in the citye: beholde (I say) they are euen as all the multytude of the Israelites that are cōsumed, & we wyll sende, & se. They toke therfore the horses of two chareties and the kynge sent after the hoost of the Sirians / sayenge: go, & se. And they went after them / euen vnto Iordan: & lo, all the way was full of clothes and vessels whiche the Sirians had cast from them in theyr haste.

And the messengers returned, and tolde [unspec D] the kynge. And the peple went out, & spoyled the tentes of the Sirians. And so it came to passe, that a busshell of fyne floure was solde for a sycle, and two busshels of barley for a sycle, accordynge to the worde of the lorde.

And the kynge appoynted that Lorde (on whose hande he leaned) to be at the gate. And the people trode vpon hym in the gate, and he dyed, accordynge to the worde of the man of god whiche he sayde, when the kyng came downe to hym. And so came the thynge to passe that the man of God had spoken to the kynge, sayenge: two busshels of barley for a sycle, & a busshell of fyne floure for an other / shall be to morowe this tyme in the gate of Samaria. Where vnto that lorde answered the man of God, & sayde. Yea / & yf the Lorde made wyndowes in heuen myght it come to passe? And he sayde: Beholde, thou shall se it with thyne eyes / & shalt not eate therof. And euen so chaunced it vnto hym: for the people trode vpon hym in the gate / and he dyed.

¶ Clisa prophesyeth vnto the Sunamyte the derth of seuen yeares. After the death of Benhadad reygneth Hazaell in Si∣ria. Iehoram the son of Iehosephat reygneth in Iuda. Edom falleth from Iuda ••hozia succedeth Iehoram.

CAPI. VIII.

THEN spake Elisa vnto the woman [unspec A] (whose sonne he had restored to lyfe a∣gayne) sayenge: vp & go / thou & thyne house, & soiourne where soeuer thou canst, for the lord hath called for a derth, & the same shall come vpon the lande seuen yeares. And the woman arose / & dyd after the sayenge of the man of god, & went bothe she & her house holde, & soiourned in the lande of the Philis∣tines seuen yere. And at the seuen yeres ende, it fortuned, that the womā came agayne out of the land of the philistin{is}, & went out to cal vpon the kynge for her house & for her lande And the kyng talked w^t Gehezi the seruaunt of the man of god, sayenge: tel me I pray the all the great dedes that Elisa hath done.

He tolde the kynge, howe he had restored [unspec B] a dead body to lyfe agayne: but in the meane tyme the woman (whose sonne he had raysed vp agayne) cryed to the kynge for her house, & for her lande. And Gehezi sayd: My lorde o kynge, this is the woman, and this is her son whome Elisa raysed vp agayne. And when the kynge asked the woman, she tolde hym. And so the kynge delyuered her a chamber∣layne, sayenge: restore thou vnto her all that are hers, & all the fruyt{is} of the felde, sence the day that she lefte the lande, vnto this tyme.

And Elisa came to Damascis, & Ben∣hadad the kynge of Siria was spcke. And one tolde hym sayenge: The man of God is [unspec C] come hyther. And the kynge sayde vnto Ha∣zaell: take a present in thyne hande, and go mete the man of God, that thou mayest aske the lorde by hym, whyther I shall recouer of this dysease. And so Hazaell went to mete hym and toke the present with hym, and of euery good thyng of Damasco, euen asmoch as. xl. Camels coulde beare, and came & pre∣sented hym selfe before hym, & sayde: thy son Benhadad kynge of Siria hath sent me to the sayenge, shall I recouer of this dysease? And Elisa sayde vnto hym: go and saye vn∣to hym: thou shalt recouer, howbeit the lorde hath shewed me, that he shall surely dye.

And ❀ he loked asyde, and was ashamed / [unspec D] and the man of god wepte. And Hazael sayd: why wepeth my Lorde? He answered: for I knowe the euyll thynges that thou shalte do vnto the chyldren of Israell: for theyr strong cityes shalte thou set on fyre, and theyr yong¦men shalt thou sley with the swerde & shalte dashe out the braynes of theyr suckynge chyl¦dren, & all to teare theyr women with chylde. But Hazaell sayde: what is thy seruaunte / a dogge, that I shulde do this greate thynge? And Elisa answered: the Lorde hath shewed me, that thou shalt be kynge of Siria. And so he departed from Elisa, and came to his mayster / whiche sayde to hym. What sayde Elisa to the? He answered: he tolde me, that thou shuldest recouer. And on the morowe it fortuned, that he toke a thycke cloth, & dypte it in water, and ☞ spred it on his face, and he dyed, and Hazaell reygned in his steade.

The fyfte yere af Iehoram the sonne of A∣hab [unspec E] kynge of Israell (Iehosaphat beynge also kynge of Iuda) Iehoram the son of Ie¦hosaphat, kynge of Iuda, began to reygne. xxxii. yeare olde was he, when he began to reygne, & he reygned. viii. yere in Ierusalem. And he walked in the waye of the kynges of Israell, as they that were of the house of A∣hab: for the doughter of Ahab was his wyfe, & he dyd euyll in the syght of the lorde. And the lorde wolde not destroye Iuda, & that by cause of Dauid his seruaunt as he promy¦sed hym to gyue hym all way a lyght among his chyldrē. In those dayes Edom dyd wyc¦kedly when he was vnder the hand of Iuda: for they made them a kynge of theyr owne.

So Iehoram went to Zair, he and all his [unspec F] charettes with hym. And he arose by nyght / and smote the Edomites, whiche compassed hym in, with the captaynes of his charettes, and the people fled into theyr tentes. But E∣dom rebelled, so that he wolde not be vnder

the hande of Iuda vnto this day. And then Lobnah began to be dysobedyent, euen that same tyme. The rest of the wordes that con∣cerne Ioram and all that he dyd, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronycles of the kyng{is} of Iuda? And Ioram rested with his fathers / and was buryed besyde his fathers in the citye of Dauid. And ☞ Ahaziahu his sonne reygned in his steade.

In the. xii. yere of Ioram the son of Ahab, [unspec G] kynge of Israell, dyd Ahaziahu the sonne of Iehoram kynge of Iuda begyn to reygne. Two and twentie yeare olde was Ahaziahu when he began to reygne, & he reygned one yere in Ierusalem, & his mothers name was Athaliahu, the doughter of Omri kynge of Israell. But he walked in the waye of the house of Ahab: & dyd euyll in the syght of the lorde, euen as dyd the house of Ahab: For he was the son in lawe of the house of Ahab.

And he went with Ioram the son of Ahab to war agaynst Hazaell kynge of Siria / in Ramoth Gilead, and the Sirians wounded Ioram. And kynge Ioram went backe a∣gayne, to be healed in Iezrahel of the wound{is} whiche the Sirians had gyuen hym at Ra∣moth, when he fought agaynst Hazaell kyng of Siria. And Ahaziahu the sonne of Ieho∣ram kyng of Iuda went downe to se Ioram the sonne of Ahab in Iezrahell, bycause he was sycke there.

¶ Iehu is made kynge of Israell, and kylleth Iehoram the kynge therof: and Ahaziahu kynge of Iuda also, and causeth Iezabel to be cast downe out of a wyndowe, and the dogges eate hi••.

CAPI. IX.

ANd Elisa the prophet called one of the [unspec A] chyldren of the Prophettes, and sayde vnto hym: gyrde vp thy loynes, and take this boxe of oyle in thyne hand, and get the to Ramoth in Gilead. And when thou cō¦mest thyther, loke were is Iehu the sonne of Iehosaphat the Sonne of Nimsi, and go to hym, and make hym aryse vp from amonge his brethren, and cary hym to a secrete cham∣bre. Then take the bore of oyle, and power to on his head, and say: thus sayeth the lorde: I haue anoynted the to be kynge ouer Israell.

And then open the dore, and flee withoute any taryenge. And so the seruaunt of the pro¦phet gat hym to Ramoth Gilead: & when he came in / beholde, the captaynes of the hooste were syttyng togyther. And he sayde: I haue an erand to the O captayne. And Iehu sayd: vnto which of all vs? He sayde: to the O cap∣tayne. And he arose, and went into the house.

And he powred the oyle on his heade, and [unspec B] sayde vnto hym: thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israell, I haue anoynted the to be kyng ouer the people of the lorde, euen ouer Isra∣ell. Thou shalt smyte the house of Ahab thy mayster, that I maye aduenge the bloode of my seruauntes the prophettes, & the blood of all the seruauntes of the Lorde, of the hande of Iezabell (for the hoole house of Ahab shal be destroyed) & I wyll destroye from Ahab / euen hym that maketh water agaynste the wall, & hym that is prysoned & forsaken in Is¦raell: & I wyll make the house of Ahab lyke the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat, and lyke the house of Baasa the son of Ahia. And as for Iezabell the dogges shall eate her in the felde of Iezrahell, & there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the dore and fled. Iehu came out to the seruauntes of his lorde, and one sayde vnto hym, is all well? [unspec C]

Wherfore came this mad felowe to the? And he sayde vnto them: ye knowe what ma∣ner of man he is, and what his cōmunicacion is: They sayd vnto hym agayne: it is not so, tell vs. He sayde: thus & thus spake he to me, saynge: Thus sayth the lorde: I haue anoyn¦ted the to be kynge ouer Israell. Then they hasted, and toke euery man his garment, and put it vnder hym in maner of a iudges seate / and blewe with trompettes, sayenge: Iehu is kynge. And so Iehu the sonne of Iehosaphat the son of Nimsi conspired agaynst Ioram. Ioram kepte Ramoth Gilead, he and all Is∣raell bycause of Hazaell kynge of Siria, and kynge Ioram returned to be healed in Iez∣raell, of the woundes whiche the Sirians had gyuen hym, when he fought with Hazaell kynge of Siria.

And Iehu sayde: Yf it be youre myndes / [unspec D] then let no man departe and escape out of the citye / to go and tell in Iezrahell. So Iehu gat vp in to a charet, and went to Iezraell where Ioram laye, and Ahaziahu kynge of Iuda was come downe thyther to se Ioram. And the watchman that stode on the towre in Iezraell, spyed the company of Iehu as he came, and sayde: I se companye. And Ie∣horam sayde: take an horseman, and sende to mete them, that he maye aske whyther it be peace. And so there went one on horsebacke to mete hym, & sayde: thus sayeth the kynge: is it peace? And Iehu sayde: what hast thou to do with peace? turne the behynde me. And the watchman tolde, sayenge: the messenger came to them, but he cōmeth not agayne.

Then he sent out an other on horsebacke, [unspec E] whiche came to them, and sayde: thus sayeth the kynge: is it peace? Iehu answered: what hast thou to do w^t peace & turne the behynde

me. And the watchman told, saynge: he came to them also, & commeth not agayne, and the dryuynge is lyke the dryuynge of Iehu the son of Nimsi, for he dryueth the charet as he were mad. And Iehoram sayde: make redye. And the charet was made redy. And Iehorā kynge of Israell, and Ahaziahu kynge of Iu¦da went out eyther of them in his charet a∣gaynst Iehu, and met hym in the furlong of Naboth the Iezrahelite. And it fortuned / that when Iehoram sawe Iehu, he sayde: is it peace Iehu? He answered: What peace shulde there be, so longe as the hooredomes of thy mother Iezabell & her wytchcraftes, are so great? And Iehoram turned his han∣des, and fled, and sayde to Ahaztahu: there is falshed O Ahaziahu. And Iehu toke a bowe in his hande, & smote Iehoram bytwene the armes, & the arowe went thorowe his herte. And he fell downe flat in his charet.

Then sayd (Iehu) to Bidkara captayne: [unspec F] take hym, and cast hym in the plat of groūde of Naboth the Iezraelite. For I remembre, that when I and thou rode togyther in a cha¦ret after Ahab his father / the lorde layd this heuye burther vpon hym: I haue sene yester∣daye the bloode of Naboth, and the blood of his sonnes, sayde the lorde & I wyll quyte it the in this grounde, sayeth the Lorde. Nowe therfore take him, and cast hym in the plat of ground, accordyng to the worde of the lorde. But when Ahaziahu the kynge of Iuda saw this, he fled by the waye of the garden house. And Iehu folowed after hym, & sayde: smyte hym also in the charet. ❀ (And they smote hym) in his charet at the goynge vp to Gur by Iibleam, and he fled to Magiddo, & there dyed. And his seruauntes caryed hym in a charet to Ierusalem, & buryed hym there in his sepulchre with his fathers in the citye of Dauid. And in the. xi. yeare of Ioram the son of Ahab, beganne Ahaziahu to reygne ouer Iuda. And when Iehu was come to Iezrael / Iezabell herde of it, and ☞ starched her face / and tyred her head, & loked out at a wyndow And as Iehu entered at the gate, she sayde: had Zimri peace whiche slewe his mayster? And he lyfte vp his eyes to the wyndow, and sayde; who is of my syde, who? And there lo∣ked out to hym two or thre chamberlaynes. [unspec G] And he sayde: Throwe her downe: So they threwe her downe, and her blood dasshed to∣warde the wall, and towarde the horses, and he trode her vnder feete. And when he was come in, he dyd eate and drynke, and sayd: go and vyset I pray you, yonder cursed creature and bury her for she is a kynges doughter.

And so when they came to burye her, they founde no more of her then the scull, and the feete, and the palmes of her handes. Wher∣fore they came agayne, & tolde hym. And he sayd: This is the word of the lorde, which he spake by the hande of his seruaunt Elia the Thesbite, sayenge: in the felde of Iezrahell shall dogges eate the flesshe of Iezabel. And so the carkas of Iezabell was euen as donge vpon the earth, in the felde of Iezrahell: so that no man myght say: This was Iezabell.

¶ Iehn causeth the. lrx. sonnes of Ahab to be sleyne, and after that. rl••••. of his brethren. He fyndeth a meane also to kyll all the preested of Baall. After his death his sonne reygneth in his st••ade.

CAPI. X.

A Hab had . lxx. Sonnes in Samaria. [unspec A] And Iehu wrote letters & sent to Sa∣maria vnto the rulers of Iezrahell / to the elders, & to them that brought vp Ahabs chyldren, sayenge: nowe when this letter cō∣meth to you, ye that haue with you your may¦sters sonnes, (ye haue with you both charet∣tes & horses: a stronge citye haue ye also, and harnesse) loke whiche of your maysters son∣nes is best & moost mete, and set hym on his fathers seate ☞ and fyght for youre Lordes house. But they were excedynly afrayde, and sayde: se, two kynges were not able to stande before hym, howe shall we then be able to stande? And he that was gouerner of Ahabs house, & he that ruled. the citie, the elders also, and the tutours sent to Iehu, saynge: we are thy seruauntes, & wyll do all that thou shalt byd vs: we wyll make no man kynge: ther∣fore do thou what semeth good in thyne eyes

Then he wrote an other letter to them, say [unspec B] enge: Yf ye be myne, and wyll herken vnto my voyce, then take the heades of the men that are your maysters sonnes, and come to me to Iezrahell by to morow this tyme. And the kynges sonnes were. lxx. personnes, and they were with the greate men of the citye, whiche brought them vp. And when the let∣ter came to them, they toke the kynges chyl∣dren, and slue them, euen. lxx. persons, & layd theyr heades in baskettes, and sent them to hym to Iezrahell▪ And there came a messen∣ger, & tolde hym sayenge: they haue brought the heades of the kyng{is} sonnes. And he sayd: let them laye them on two heapes in the en∣terynge in of the gate, vntyll the mornynge.

And when it was day, he went out, & stode [unspec C] & sayde to all the folke: ye be ryghteous. Be∣holde, I cōspyred agaynst my mayster, & slue hym: But who slue al these? Lerne here, that there shall fal vnto the earth nothyng of the worde of the lorde, which he spake cōcernyng

the house of Ahab: for the lorde hath brought to passe the thynges that he spake ☞ by the hande of his seruaunte Elia. And so Iehu slue all that remayned of the house of Ahab / in Iezrahell & all that were great with hym / and his kynsfolkes, and his preestes, so that he let nothynge of hym remayne. And he a∣rose, and departed, & came to Samaria. And whe Iehu was in the way to the house where the shepherdes dyd shere theyr shepe, he met with the brethren of Ahaziahu kynge of Iu∣da, and sayde: what are ye? They answerered the brethren of Ahaziahu are we, & go downe to salute the chyldren of the kyng, and of the quene. And he sayd: take them alyue. Whom when they had taken them alyue, they flue them at the well which was besyde the house where the shepe are shorne, euen. xlii. men ney¦ther lefte he any of them. And when he was departed thence, he met with Iehonadab the son of Rechab cōmynge agaynst hym: And ☞ he blessed hym, & sayde to hym: is thyne herte ryght, as myne herte is true w^t thyne?

And Iehonadab answered: yea that it is. ❀ (yf it, be sayeth he) then gyue me thyne [unspec D] hande. And when he had gyuē him his hand, he toke hym vp to hym in to the charet, and sayde: come with me, and se the zeele that I haue for the Lorde, & so they made hym ryde in his charet. And when he came to Sama∣ria, he slue all that remayned vnto Ahab in Samaria / tyll he had wypte hym out, accor∣dynge to the sayenge of the Lorde whiche he spake to Elia. And Iehu gathered al the peo∣ple togyther, & sayde vnto them: Ahab ser∣ued Baall a lytle: But Iehu shall serue hym more. Nowe therfore call vnto me all the pro¦phettes of Baal, all soche as serue hym, & all his preestes and let none be lackynge. For I haue a great sacrifyce to do to Baall: & ther∣fore, whosoeuer is myssed, he shall not lyue.

But Iehu dyd it for a subteltye, to the in [unspec E] tent that he myght destroye the seruauntes of Baall. And Iehu sayd: Proclayme an ho∣ly conuocaeyō for Baall, and Iehu sent vn∣to all Israell. And all the seruaūtes of Baal came, that there was not a man lefte behynd that came not. And they came into the house of Baall, & the house of Baall was ful from one ende to an other. And he sayde vnto hym that was the keper of the vestrey, brynge forth garmentes for all the seruaūtes of Ba∣all. And he brought them out garment{is}. And when Iehu went with Iehonadab the son of Rechab into the house of Baall, he sayde vn∣to the seruauntes of Baall: searche and loke, that there be here with you none of the ser∣uauntes of the Lorde, but the seruauntes of Baall only. And when they went in to offre sacrifyce & burntofferyng{is}, Iehu appoynted lxxx. men without, & sayde: Yf any of the men whome I haue brought vnder your handes, escape, he that letteth hym go, shall dye for hym. And it fortuned, that as soone as he had made an ende of offeryng the burntsacrifyce, Iehu sayde to the men of war, & to the cap∣taynes: go in: & sley them, let none come out.

And they smote them with the edge of the swerde. And the men of war & the captaynes [unspec F] cast them out & went vnto the ••••••e of the tem¦ple of Baall, & fet the ymages out of the tem∣ple of Baall, & burnt them. And they brake the ymage of Baall, & brake the house of Ba∣all, & made a draft house of it vnto this ••aye. And so Iehu destroyed Baall out of Israel. But from the synn{is} of Ieroboam the son of Nebat (which made Israell to syn: Iehu de¦parted not, neyther frō folowynge of them ❀ (neyther forsoke he) ❀ the golden calues that were in Bethell & in Dan. And the lorde sayde vnto Iehu: bycause y^• hast done ryght well, in bryngyng to passe, the thynge that is ryght in myne eyes, and hast done vnto the house of Ahab accordynge to all thyng{is}, that are in myne herte, therfore shall thy Chyl∣dren vnto the fourth generacyon, syt on the seat of Israell. But Iehu cared not for this, to walke in the law of the lorde god of Isra∣ell [unspec G] with all his herte: for he departed not frō the synn{is} of Ieroboā, whiche made Israel to syn. ❀ In those dayes the lorde began to cu•• Israel shorte, & Hazael smote them in al the coostes of Israell, from Iordan Eastwarde: euen all the lande of Gilead, the Gad••tes, the Rubenites, & them that were of Manasses / from Aroer vnto the ryuer of Arnon: euen Gilead & Basan. The rest of the wordes that concerne Iehu, & all that he dyd / and all his powre, are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kyng{is} of Israell? And Ie∣hu slepte with his fathers, and they buryed him in Samaria, & Iehoahaz his son reygned in his steade. And the tyme that Iehu reyg∣ned vpon Israel in Samaria, is. xxviii. yeres.

¶ ••thalia putteth to death all the kynges Sonne••▪ excepte Iehokaz the son of O••oziah, whith is hyd, & after her death is made kynge.

CAPI. XI.

ANd Athalia the mother of Ahaziahu / [unspec A] when she sawe that her son was deade / she arose, & destroyed al the kyng{is} seed. But Iehosaba the doughter of kynge Io∣ram & syster of Ahaziahu, toke Ioas the son of Ahaziahu, & stale hym from amonge the kynges sonnes that were sleyne, & his nurce

with hym, out of a slepynge chambre, & hyd hym from Athalia, that he was not sleyne. And he was with her, hyd in the house of the lorde. vi. yeare. And Athalia dyd reygne ouer the lande. And the seuenth yeare Iehoiads sent & fet the rulers ouer the hundreds, with the captaynes, & them of the garde, and toke them to hym into the house of the lorde, and made a bond w^t them, & toke an othe of them in the house of the Lorde, & shewed them the kyng{is} son. And he cōmaunded them, saynge: This is it that ye muste do: one thyrde parte of you (whose duetye is to come on the Sab∣both daye) shal kepe the watche of the kyng{is} house: And an other thyrde parte shall kepe [unspec B] the gate of Sur: & an other thyrde parte shal kepe the gate whiche is, behynde them of the garde, and so ❀ shall ye kepe the watch of the house of Messah, and two porcyons of you: that is, all that go out on the Sabboth daye, shall kepe the watch of the house of the lorde about the kynge, & ye shall cōpasse the kynge rounde about, and euery man shall haue his weapen in his hand. And whosoeuer cōmeth with in the ranges, let hym be sleyne. And se that ye be with the kynge as he goeth out & in. And the captaynes ouer the hundreds dyd accordynge to all thynges that Iehoiada the pretst cōmaunded: and they toke euerye man his men (that were to come in on the Sab¦both day, with them that shulde go out on the Sabboth) and came to Iehoiada the preest. And to the captaynes ouer hundreds, dyd the preest gyue kynge Dauids speares & shyldes that were in the temple. And they of the gard stode / and euerye man had his weapon in his hande rounde about the kynge, frō the ryght corner of the temple to the lefte, alonge by the aulter, and the temple. And he brought out the kyng{is} son, and put the crowne vpon him, and delyuered him ☞ the wytnesse, & made hym kynge, & anoynted hym. And they clapte theyr handes, and sayd: God saue the kynge. [unspec C]

And when Athalia herde the noyse of the runnynge of the people, she came to the peple into the temple of the lorde. And when she loked, beholde, the kynge stode by a pyl∣ler (as the maner was) & the syngers and the trompets by the kynge, & all the people of the lande reioysed / & blewe with trompets. And Athalia rent her clothes and cryed: treason / treason. But Iehoiada the preest cōmaūded the captaynes of the hundreds that had the rule of the hoost, & sayd vnto them: haue her out without the temple, that she may be with in the rang{is}, and yf any folowe her, kyll hym with the swerde: for the Preest had sayde: she maye not be sleyne in the house of the Lorde. And they layde handes on her tyll she came into the waye, by the whiche the horses went in to the kynges palace: and there was she sleyne. And Iehoiada made a bonde by∣twene [unspec D] the lorde & the kynke, & the people (that they shulde be the Lordes people) & also by∣twene the kynge & the peple. And all the peo∣ple of the lande went into the house of Baal, & destroyed it: his aulters also & his ymages brake they downe ••ustely & slue Mathan the Preest of Baall before the aulters. And the preest set a watch ouer the house of the lorde▪ & toke the rulers ouer hundreds, the captay∣nes & them of the garde, & all the peple of the lande. And they brought the kynge from the house of the lorde, & came by the waye of the gate of them of the garde to the kynges pa∣lace. And he sat him downe on the seate of the kynges. And all the people of the lande re∣ioysed, and the citye was in quyetnesse. And they slue Athalia with the swerde, besyde the kyng{is} palace. Seuen yere olde was Iehoas, when he began to reygne.

¶ Iehoas malteth prouisyon for the reparyng of the temple. He to kylled by two of his seruauntes, and Amaziahn reyg∣neth in his steade.

CAPI. XII.

ANd he began to reygne in the seuenth∣yere [unspec A] of Iehu, fourtye yeare reygned he in Ierusalem, & his mothers name was Zebiah of Beerseba. And he dyd that whiche was good in the syght of the lorde, as longe as Iehoiada the preest enfourmed hym. But the hylaulters were not taken awaye, for the people offered & burnte incense yet vpon the hylaulters. And Iehoas sayd to the Preest{is}: all the syluer of dedycate thynges, that be brought to the house of the Lorde in currant money, that is to saye, the money that euery man ☞ is set at, and al the money that euery man with a wyllyng herte gyueth and bryng¦eth into the house of the lorde, let the preestes take it to them, euery man of his aquayn∣taunce, to repayre the broken places of the house, where soeuer any decaye is founde.

And so it came to passe that vnto the. xxiii [unspec B] yere of kynge Iehoas, the preestes had men∣ded nothynge, that was decayed in the tem∣ple. Then kynge Iehoas called for Iehoia∣da the bysshop, & the preestes, and sayde vnto them: why repayre ye not the brokē places of the temple? Nowe therfore, se that ye receyue no more money of your aquayntaūce, except ye delyuer it to repayre the temple withall.

And the preestes consented to receyue no more money of the people: excepte to repayre the decayed places of the temple.

But Iehoiada the preest toke a chyst & ••o∣ted an hoole in the lyd of it, & set it besyde the aulter on the ryght syde, as euery mā cometh into the temple of the Lorde. And the preest{is} that kepte the dores, put all the money that was brought in to the house of the Lorde.

And it fortuned, that when they sawe [unspec C] moch money in the chyst, the kynges scribe and the hygh preest came vp, & tolde the mo∣ney that was founde in the house of the lorde and put it in to a bag. And they gaue the mo∣ney sealed in to the handes of them that exe∣cuted the worke, and that had the ouersyght of the house of the lorde: & they brought it out to the earpenters & buylders (that wroughte vpon the house of the Lorde) and to masons and hewers of stone: And they bought tym∣bre and free stone, to repayre the decay in the house of the lorde, and to all that went out to amende the temple: howvelt ☞ there was not made for the house of the Lorde, bolles of syl∣uer, instrumentes of Musyke, basens, trom∣pettes or any vessell of golde, or vessel of syl∣uer, of the money that was brought in to the house of the Lorde: But they gaue that to the workemen, and repayred therwith the house of the Lorde. Moreouer, they rekened not w^t the men, in to whose handes they delyuered that money to be bestowed on workemen: for they dyd theyr busynesse faythfully. Howbeit ☞ trespasse money, and synne money was not brought in to the house of the Lorde, for it was the preestes. Then came Hazael kyng of Siria vp, and fought agaynst Geth, & toke it, & Hazael set his face to go vp to Ierusalē.

And Iehoas kynge of Iuda toke all the [unspec D] halowed thynges that Iehosaphat, Iehorā, and Haziahu his fathers kyng{is} of Iuda, had dedicate, & that he hym selfe had dedicated▪ and all the golde that was founde in the trea¦sures of the house of the Lorde, & in the kyn∣ges house, and sent it to Hazael kyng of Si∣ria: and so he departed from Ierusalem.

The remenaunt of the wordes that con∣cerne Iehoas & all that he dyd, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda? And his owne seruauntes arose, and wrought treason, and slue Iehoas in the house of Millo, when he came downe to Silla. Iosabar the son of Semeath & Ie∣hozabad the sonne of Somer his seruauntes smote hym, & he dyed. And they buryed hym with his fathers in the citye of Dauid. And Amaziahu his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Iehoahaz the sonne of Iehu is deliuered in to the heades of the Siriane and dyeth. Ioa•• his sonne reygneth in his steade. Elisa dyeth.

CAPI. XIII.

IN the. xxiii. yere of Ioas the sonne of Aha¦ziahu [unspec A] kynge of Iuda, Iohoahaz the son of Iehu began to reygne ouer Israell in Samaria seuentene yere. And he wrought that which was euyl in the syght of the lorde, and folowed the synnes of Ieroboā the son of Nebat, whiche made Israel to syn, and de parted not therfrom. And the Lorde was an∣gry with Israel, and delyuered them in to the bande of Hazael kyng of Siria, and in to the hande of Benhadad the sonne of Hazaell all theyr dayes. And Iehoahaz besought the lord and the Lorde herde hym. For he consydered the trouble of Israel, wherwith the kynge of Siria troubled them. And the lorde gaue Is∣rael a delyuerer, so that they wente out from vnder the subieccion of the Sirians. And the chyldren of Israell owelte in theyr tentes as before tyme. Neuerthelesse they departed not from the synnes of the house of Ieroboam, which made Israel syn, but walked in them. [unspec B]

And there remayned a groue styll also in Samaria. Neyther dyd he leaue of the peple to Iehoahaz, but fiftie horsemen, ten charett{is} and ten M. fotemen for the kynge of Siri•• destroyed them, and made them lyke threshed dust. The rest of the wordes that concerne Ie¦hoahaz, and all that he dyd, & his power, are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israel? And Iehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buryed hym in sa¦maria, & Ioas his son reygned in his steade▪ In the. xxxvii. yere of Ioas kynge of Iuda, began Ioas the son of Iehoahaz to reygne ouer Israel in Samaria syxtene yere, & dyd that whiche is euyll in the syght of the Lorde & departed not from all the synnes of Iero∣boam the sonne of Nebat, (that made Israel synne) for he walked therin. The remenaunt of the wordes that concerne Ioas & all that he dyd, and his power wherwith he fought agaynst Amaziahu kynge of Iuda, are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israell? And Ioas slepte with his fathers, and Ieroboā sat vpon his seate. And Ioas was buryed in Samaria among the kynges of Israell.

When Elia was fallen sycke of his sycke∣nesse [unspec C] (wherof he dyed) Ioas the kyng of Is∣raell came downe vnto hym, & wepte before hym, & sayd. O my father, my father, ❀ the charet of Israel, & the horsemen of the same. Elisa sayd vnto hym: take bowe and arowes And he toke vnto hym bowe & arowes. And he sayd vnto the kynge of Israell: put thyne hand vpon the bow, & he put his hand vpō it▪

And Elisa put his handes vpon the kynges handes, & sayde: open a wyndowe castwarde: and when he had opened it, Elisa sayd: shute, and he shot. And he sayde: the arowe of helpe of the Lorde, and the arowe of helpe agaynst Siria, for thou shalte smyte Siria in Aphek tyll thou haue made an ende of them. And he sayde: take the arowes:: & he toke them. And he sayd vnto the kynge of Israell: smyte the grounde: & he smote thryse & ceased. And the mā of god was angry with hym, & sayd: thou shuldest haue smytten. v. or. vi. tymes ❀ (or se¦uen tymes) & then thou hadest smytten Siria¦tyl thou hadest made an ende of them: where nowe thou shalte smyte Siria but thryse. [unspec D] And so Elisa dyed & they buryed hym, & the souldyoures of the Moabites came in to the lande, ❀ the same yere. And it chaunced as some of them were buryenge a man, & spyed the souldyours, they cast the man into the se∣pulcce of Elisa. And when the mā was rolled downe, & touched the bones of Elisa here∣uiued, and stode vpon his feete. But Hazael vexed Israel, all the dayes of Iehoahaz. And the lorde had mercy on them, & pttyed them, & had respecte vnto them, bycause of his ap∣poyntment made with Abrahā, Isaac, & Ia∣cob, & wolde not destroy them, neyther cast he them from hym as yet. So Hazael the kyng of Sitia dyed / & Benhadad his son reygned in his steade. And Iehoas the son of Ichoa∣haz went agayne & toke out of the hande of Benhadad the son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken away out of the hand of Iehoa haz his father, in warre: for thre tymes dyd Ioas beate hym, and restored the cities vnto Israel agayne.

¶ Amaziahu the hynge of zuda putteth to death the m••••∣quellers of his father, and after smyteth Edom. Zoas dyeth, and Ierot••am his son succedeth in his roume, and after hym reygneth zacharia. Amazia is kylled in ••achio, and Azaria teygneth in his steade.

CAPI. XIIII.

The seconde yere of Ioas son of Ichoa∣haz [unspec A] kyng of Israel reygned Amaziahu the sonne of Ioas kynge of Iuda: he was. xxv. yere olde when he began to reygne & reygned. xxix. yere in Ierusalem, & his mo∣thers name was Ieohadan, of Ierusalem. And he dyd that whiche is good in the syght of the Lorde, yet not lyke Dauid his father: but dyd accordyng to all thyng{is} as Ioas his father dyd. Neyther were the hyll aulters ta∣ken away. For as yet the people dyd sacrifice and burnt insence on the hyl aulters. And as [unspec B] sone as the kyngdom was satled in his hand it came to passe, that he slue his seruaun∣tes whiche had kylled the kyng his father. But the chyldren of those murtherers he slue not, accordyng to it that is wryttē in the boke of the lawe of Moses: wherin the Lorde cō∣maunded, sayenge: Let not the fathers dye for the chyldren, nor let the chyldren be sleyne for the fathers. But let euery man be put to deathe for his owne synne. He slue of Edom in the salt valley ten. M. and toke the castel on the rocke in the same battayle, and called the name of it Ioktheel vnto this day. Then Amaziahu sente messengers to Iehoas the son of Iehoahaz son of Iehu kyng of Israel sayenge: Come, ☞ let vs se eche other. And Iehoas the kyng of Israel sent to Amaziahu [unspec C] kyng of Iuda, saynge: did not a thystle that is in Libanon, sende to a Cedre tree that is in Libanon, sayeng: Gyue thy doughter to my sonne to wyfe. And the wylde beast that was in Libanon, went & trode downe the thystle. Thou hast smytten Edom, thyne herte hath made the proude: Enioy this glory, and tary at home. Why doest thou prouoke to mys∣cheyfe, that thou shuldeste be ouerthrowen / and Iuda with the? But Amaziahu wolde not heare. And Iehoas kyng of Israel went vp, and he and Amaziahu kyng of Iuda saw eyther other at Bethsames which is in Iuda.

And Iuda was put to the worse before Is∣rael, and they fled euery man to theyr tentes. And Iehoas kyng of Israel toke Amaziahu [unspec D] kyng of Iuda, the sonne of Iehoas the son of Ahaziahu, at Bethsames, & came to Ieru∣salem from the gate of Ephraim to the cor∣ner gate, foure hundred cubites. And he toke all the golde and syluer & all the vessels that were founde in the house of the Lorde, and in the treasures of the kynges house, & the chyl∣dren toke he to be his wardes / & returned to Samaria agayne. The rest of the actes of Ioas which he dyd, and his power, & how he fought with Amaziahu kynge of Iuda, are they not wrytten in the Cronicle boke of the kynges of Israell? And Iehoas slepte with his fathers, and was buryed at Samatia, among the kynges of Israel: and Ieroboam his soune reygned in his steade.

Amaziahu the sonne of Ioas kynge of [unspec E] Iuda, lyued after the death of Iehoas sonne of Iehoahaz kynge of Israell fyftene yeare. And the remenaunt of the wordes that con∣cerne Amaziahu, are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kyng{is} of Iuda? But they conspired treason agaynste hym in Ierusalem: and when he sled to Lachis, they sent after hym to Lachis / and slue him there. And they brought hym on horses, & he was buryed at Ierusalem with his fathers in the

citye of Dauid. And all the people of Iuda toke Azaria, whiche was. xvi. yere olde, and made him kyng for his father Amaziahu. He buylte Elath, & brought it agayne to Iuda, after that the kynge was layde to rest with [unspec F] his fathers. In the. xv. yere of Amaziahu the sonne of Ioas kyng of Iuda, was Ieroboā the sonne of Ioas made kynge ouer Israell in Samaria, and reygned. xli. yere, & wrought that which was euyl in the syght of the lorde Neyther turned he away from all the synnes of Ieroboam the son of Nabat whiche made Israel to synne. He restored the coost of Is∣rael from the entryng of Hemath vnto the see of the wyldernes, accordynge to the worde of the Lorde God of Israell, whiche he spake ☞ by the hande of his seruaunt Ionas the sonne of Amithai the prophet, whiche was of [unspec G] Geth hepher. For the Lorde sawe howe that the afflicion of Israell was excedyng bytter, in so moche that the prysoned, and the forsa∣ken were at an ende. And there was none to helpe Israel. And the Lorde sayde not, that he wolde put out the name of Israel from vnder heuen, but helped them by the hande of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas.

The rest of the wordes that concerne Iero∣boam, and all that he dyd, and his strength, whiche he executed in the warres, & howe he restored Damasco & Hemath to Iuda in Is∣raell, are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israell? And Ie∣roboam slept with his fathers, euen with the kynges of Israell, and Zacharia his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Azaria the kynge of Iuda b••••••m••th a leper. Of Iotham, Dallum, Menahem, Peli••hin, Uziah, Iotham, and ••haz.

CAPI. XV.

IN the. xxvii. yere of Ieroboam kynge of [unspec A] Israel, began Azaria son of Amazia kyng of Iuda to reygne. Syxtene yere olde was he when he was made kynge, & he reygned. lii. yere in Ierusalem, & his mothers name was Iecholeiahu of Ierusalem. And he dyd that whiche was ryght in the syght of the Lorde, accordynge to all thynges as dyd his father Amaziahu: saue that the hylle aulters were not put away: for the people offered and bur∣ned insence styll on the hyll aulters. And the lorde smote the kynge, & he was a leper vnto the day of his death, and dwelte in a seue∣rall house at lybertye, & Iotham the kynges sonne gouerned the palace, & iudged the peo∣ple of the lande. The rest of the wordes that concerne Azaria & all that he dyd, are they not [unspec B] wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kyng{is} of Iuda? And so Azaria slept with his fathers, & they buryed hym with his fathers in the citye of Dauid, and Iotham his sonne regned in his steade. In the. xxxviii. yere of Azaria kynge of Iuda, dyd Zacharia the son of Ieroboam reygne vpon Israel in Sama¦ria, syxe monethes, and wrought that whiche was euyll in the syght of the Lorde, as dyd his fathers, and turned not awaye from the synnes of Ieroboā the son of Nabat, whiche made Israel to synne. And Sallum the son of Iabes conspired agaynst hym, and smote hym in the syght of the people, & kylled hym, and reygned in his steade.

The rest of the wordes that concerne Za∣charia: beholde, they are wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israell. This is also the wordes of the Lorde whiche he spake vnto Iehu, sayenge: Thy sonnes shall syt on the seate of Israell in the fourth generacion after the. And it came so to passe.

Sallum the son of Iabes began to reygne [unspec C] the. xxxix. yere of Azaria kyng of Iuda, & he reygned a moneth in Samaria. For Mena∣hem the son of Gadi went vp from Thirza & came to Samaria, & smote Sallum the son of Iabes in Samaria, & slue hym, & reygned in his steade. The rest of the wordes that con¦cerne Sallum, & the treason which he conspi∣red: beholde, they are wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Israell. The same tyme Menahem destroyed Thiphsah, and al that were therin, & the coostes therof, frō Therzahi. And (bycause they opened not to hym) he smote it, & rypte vp al theyr womē with chylde. The. xxxix. yere of Azaria kynge of Iuda began Menahē the son of Gadi to reygne vpon Israel. x. yere in Samaria. And he dyd euyl in the syght of the lorde, & turned not away (all his dayes) frō the synne of Ie∣roboā the son of Nabat, which made Israell to synne. And Phul the kyng of Assiria came vpon the lande. And Menahem gaue Phul a. M. talentes of syluer, that his hand might be with hym & stablysshe the kyngdom in his [unspec D] hand. And Menahē made a proclamacyō for the money in Israel, that al men of substaūce shuld gyue the kyng of Assiria. l. sycles of syl∣uer a pece. And so the kyng of Assiria turned backe agayne, & caryed not there in the land. The rest of the wordes that cōcerne Menahē & all that he dyd, are they not wrytten in the boke of the cronicles of the kyng{is} of Israel? And Menahem slepte w^t his fathers, & Pika¦hia his son dyd (in his stead) succede hym in the kyngdom. In the. l. yere of Azaria kyng of Iuda began Pekahia the sonne of Mena¦hem to reygne ouer Israel in Samaria two

yere, and dyd that whiche was euyll in the syght of the Lorde, and lefte not of from the synnes of Ieroboam the son of Nabat, which made Israel synne. But Pekah the sonne of Remaliahu (whiche was a captayne of his) conspired agaynst hym, and smote hym in Sa¦maria, euen in the palace of the kyng{is} house with Argob & Aria: and with hym were fiftie men of the Gileadites: and he kylled hym, & reygned in his roume. The rest of the wordes that concerne Pekahia & all that he dyd: be∣holde, they are wrytten in the boke of the Cro¦nicles of the kyng{is} of Israel. In the. lii. yere [unspec F] of Azaria kynge of Iuda began Pekah the son of Remaliahu to reygne ouer Israell in Samaria. xx. yere, and dyd euyll in the syght of the Lorde, and turned not away from the synnes of Ieroboam the son of Nabat, that made Israell synne. In the dayes of Pekah kyng of Israel, came Thiglath Pilesar kyng of Assyria, and toke I••on, Ab••l, Bethnaacha Ianoah, Kedes, Hazor, Gilead, Galile, and all the lande of Nephthali, and caryed them awaye to Assyria.

And Hosea the sonne of Ela conspired trea¦son agaynste Pekah the son of Remaliahu, & smote hym and slue hym, and reygned in his steade in the. xx. yere of Iotham the sonne of ☞ Uziahu. The rest of the wordes that con∣cerne Pekah and al that he dyd: beholde they are wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kyng{is} of Israel. The seconde yere of Pe∣kah the son of Remaliahu kynge of Israell, began Iothā the sonne of Uziahu kynge of Iuda to reygne.

Fyue and twentye yere olde was he when [unspec G] he began to reygne, & he reygned. xvi. yere in Ierusalem. His mothers name was Ierusa the doughter of zadok. And he did that which is ryght in the syght of the Lorde: euen accor¦dynge to al, as dyd his father Uziahu, so dyd he. But the hyll aulters were not put awaye: for the people offered and burnt insence styll in the hyll aulters: he buylte the hygher dore of the house of the Lorde. The rest of the wor¦des that concerne Iotham, and all that he dyd, are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda.

In those dayes the Lorde began to sende in to Iuda, Rezin the kynge of Siria, and Pekah the son of Remaliahu. And Iotham slepte with his fathers, and was buryed with his fathers / in the cytie of Dauid his father, and Ahaz his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Ahaz kynge of Iud•• consecrate•••• his sonne in fyre, and ••ath many battayles agaynste the kynge of Israell. In the steade of Ahaz reygneth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his sonne.

CAPI. XVI.

THe. xvii. yere of Pekah the sonne of Re∣maliahu [unspec A] Ahaz the son of Iotham kyng of Iuda, began to reygne. Twentye yere olde was he, when he was made kynge: and reygned. xvi. yere in Ierusalem, and dyd not that whiche was ryght in the eyes of the Lorde his god, lyke Dauid his father. But walked in the way of the kynges of Israell: yea & made his sonne to go thorowe the fyre after the abhominacions of the hethē, whom the lorde cast out before the chyldrē of Israel, And he offered & burnt insence in the hyll aul¦ters and on the hylles, & vnder euery thycke tree. Then Rezin kynge of Siria and Pe∣kah son of Remaliahu kynge of Israel came vp to Ierusalem to fyght. And they fought agaynst Ahaz, but coulde not ouercome him.

At the same tyme Rezin kynge of Siria [unspec B] brought Elath agayne to Siria, and ryd the Iues thence. And the Sirians came to E∣lath, & dwell therin vnto this daye. So Ahaz sent messengers to Thiglath Peleser kynge of Assyria, sayenge: I am thy seruaunt & thy son, come vp, & delyuer me out of the hande of the kyng of Siria, & out of the hand of the kyng of Israel, whiche ryse vp agaynst me.

And Ahaz toke the syluer & golde that was founde in the house of the lorde, & in the trea∣sures of the kynges house, & sent a rewarde to the kynge of Assyria. And the kynge of Assyria consented vnto hym. For the kyng of Assyria went vp agaynst Damasco: And whē he had taken it, he caryed the people away to Kir, & slue Rezin. And kyng Ahaz went to Da¦masco, to mete Thiglath Peleser kynge of Assyria. And when kyng Ahaz sawe an aul∣ter that was at Damasco, he sent to Uria the preest the patron of the aulter, and the fassion [unspec C] of it, and all the workmanshyp therof.

And Uria the preest made an aulter in all poyntes lyke to the patron which kyng Ahaz had sent from Damasco: Euen so dyd Uria the preest make it, agaynst kyng Ahaz came from Damasco. And so, when the kyng was come from Damasco, he sawe the aulter, and the kynge went to it, and offered theron.

Ad he burnt his burnt offeryng, & his meate offerynge, and powred his drynke offerynge, and sprinkeled the blood of his peaceofferin∣ges besyde the aulter, that was by the brasen aulter whiche was before the lorde, and set it without the temple, bytwene the aulter and the temple of the Lorde, & put it on the north syde of the aulter.

And kynge Ahaz commaunded Uria the Preest and sayd: vpon the great aulter set on

fyre in the mornyng the burntoffryng, and in the euen, the meateofferyng, and the kynges burntsacrifice & his meateofferyng, with the burntofferyng of al the people of the lande, & theyr meateofferynge, and theyr drynke offe∣rynges: & powre therby, all the bloode of the sacrifice offeryng{is}. But the brasen aulter wyl I come and se.

And Uria the preest dyd accordyng to all [unspec D] thynges as kyng Ahaz commaunded hym. And kyng Ahaz brake the sydes of the bot∣tomes, and toke the lauer from of them, and toke downe the lauatorye from of the brasen oxen that were vnder it, & put it vpon a paue¦mente of stones. And the pulpyt for the Sab∣both (that they had made in the house) & the kynges entrie without turned he to the house of the lorde, for (feare of) the kyng of Assyria. The rest of the wordes that concerne Ahaz, what he dyd, are they not wrytten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda? And Ahaz slepte with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the citye of Dauid: And Hezekia his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Hosea kynge of Israell is taken. And he and all his realme is brought to the Asserians.

CAPI. XVII.

IN the. xii. yere of Ahaz kyng of Iuda, be∣gan [unspec A] Hosea the sonne of Elia to reygne in Samaria vpon Israell. ix. yere, and dyd that which was euyl in the syght of the lorde, but not as the kynges of Israel that were be∣fore hym. And Salmanasar kyng of Assyria came vp agaynst hym, & Hosea became his seruaunt, and gaue hym presentes. And the kyng of Assyria founde treason in Hosea: for he had sent messengers to So, kynge of E∣gypte, and brought no present vnto the kyng of Assyria, from yere to yere: And therfore the kynge of Assyria toke hym, and put hym in pryson. And then the kynge of Assyra came vp thorowout al the lande, & gat vp agaynst Samaria, and beseyged it thre yere.

In the nynth yere of Hosea / the kyng of Assyria toke Samaria, & caried Israel away [unspec B] vnto Assyria, and put them in Hala, in Habor by the ryuer of Goza, and in the cities of the Medes. For it came to passe, that the chyldrē of Israel synned agaynst the lorde theyr god? which had brought them out of the lande of Egypte, from vnder the hande of Pharao kyng of Egypte / and feared other Gods.

And they walked in the ceremonies of the he∣then, whom the Lorde east out before the chyl¦dren of Israel, and in the ceremonies whiche the kynges of Israel had made. And the chyl∣drē of Israel went aboute to hyde those thin∣ges that were not well, from the Lorde theyr God. And they buylte them hyll aulters in al theyr cityes, bothe in the towres where they kepte watche, and also in the strong townes. And they made them ymages and groues in euery hygh hyl, and vnder euery thycke tr••e. And there they burnt insence in all the hyll aulters, as dyd the hethen (whom the Lorde caried away before them) and wrought wyc∣ked thynges to angre the Lorde withall. For they serued most vyle Idols, wherof the lord had sayd vnto them. Ye shall do no suche thynge. And the lorde testified in Israell and in Iuda by all the prophettes and by all the sears, sayenge. Turne from your wycked wayes and kepe my cōmaundementes & my statutes, accordyng to all the lawe whiche I cōmaunded your fathers, and whiche I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to you by my seruauntes the prophettes.

Notwithstandynge they wolde not heare [unspec C] but rather hardened theyr neckes, lyke to the stubburnesse of theyr fathers that did not byleue in the Lorde theyr god. For they refu∣sed his statutes, & his appoyntment that he made w^t theyr fathers, & the wytnesses (whe•• with he wytnessed vnto them) & they folowed vanite, and became vayne, and wente after the hethen that were rounde aboute them: cō¦cernyng whom, the Lorde had charged them that they shulde not do lyke them. But they lefte the cōmaundementes of the Lorde theyr God, & made them Images of mettal euen two calues: and made groues, and worshyp∣ped all the hoost of heuen, and serued Baall. And they sacrificed theyr sonnes and theyr doughters in fyre, and vsed wytchcrafte and enchaūtementes ❀ euen sellyng themselues to worke wyckednesse in the syght of the lord and to angre hym. And the Lorde was exce∣dynge wrothe with Israell and put them out of his syghte that there was lefte but the tribe of Iuda onely. Neuertheles, Iuda also kepte not the cōmaundementes of the Lorde theyr God, but walked in the ceremonies of Israel, whiche they made.

And the Lorde cast vp all the seed of Is∣raell, [unspec D] and vexed them, and delyuered them in to the handes of spoylers, vntyll he had cast them out of his syght. For Israell deuyded them selues from the house of Dauid, and made them a kynge, euen Ieroboam the son of Nabat.

And Ieroboam ❀ drew Israel away (that they shulde not folowe the Lorde) and made them synne a great synne: For the children of Israel walked in al the synnes of Ieroboam which he dyd, & departed not therfrom vntyl

the Lorde put Israel away out of his syght, as he had sayd by all his seruauntes the pro∣phettes. And so was Israel caried away out of theyr owne land to Assyria, euen vnto this day. And the kynge of Assyria brought men from Babylon, from Cutha, from Aua, from Hanath, and from Sepharuaim, & put them in the cityes of Samaria, in steade of the chyl¦dren of Israel. And they possessed Samaria, and dwelte in the cityes therof.

And it fortuned, that at the begynnyng of [unspec E] theyr dwellyng there, they feared not the lord And the lorde sent lyons among them, which slue them. Wherfore, men sayd to the kyng of Assyria: The nacions which thou hast trans∣lated, & put in the cityes of Samaria, knowe not the lawe of the God of the lande, therfore he hath sent lyons vpon them: and beholde, they sley them, bycause they knowe not the maner of the god of the land. Then the kyng of Assyria cōmaunded, sayeng: carye thyther one of the Preestes, whom ye brought thence and let hym go, and dwell there, and teache them the fassy on how to serue the god of the countrey. And then one of the preestes which they had caryed thence came, & dwelte in Be∣thell, and taught them how they shulde feare the Lorde. Howbeit euery nacion made them Goddes of theyr owne, and putte them in the houses of the hyll aulters whiche the Sama¦rians had made, euery nacion in theyr cityes wherin they dwelte.

The men of Babylon made ☞ Socoth [unspec F] Benoth, and the men of Euth made Nergal: and the men of Hamath made Asima. The Auites made Nebbaz, and Tharthak. And the Sepharuites burnt theyr children in fyre for Adramelech and Anamelech, the Gods of Sepharuaim. And so they feated the Lorde, and made them preestes of the Hyll aulters, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the hyll aulters. And so they feared the Lorde, & serued theyr owne Gods after the maner of the people, whom they caryed thence. And vn to this day they do after the olde maner, and neyther feare God, neyther do after ☞ theyr owne ordynaunces and customes, and after the lawe and cōmaundement which the lorde cōmaunded the chyldren of Iacob, whom he called Israell. And the lorde made an ap∣poyntment [unspec G] with them, & charged them, say∣enge: feare none other gods, nor bowe your selues to them, nor serue them, nor saerifice to them: but feare the lorde whiche brought you out of the lande of Epypt with great power & a stretched out arme: hym fere, & to hym bow, & to hym do sacrifice, The statut{is}, ordinaūces lawe and cōmaundement which he wrote for you, se that ye be diligent to do for euermore, & feare not any other God{is}. And the appoynt¦ment that I haue made with you, se ye forget not, and feare none other gods: but the lorde your God ye shall feare, and he shall delyuer you out of the handes of all your enemyes. Howbeit, they dyd not herken, but dyd after theyr olde custome. And so these nacions fea∣red the lorde, & serued theyr ymage also: lyke as dyd theyr chyldren & theyr chyldrens chyl∣dren. Euen as dyd theyr fathers, so do they vnto this day.

¶ Hezehia kynge of Iuda putteth downe the brasen serpent. •• destroyeth the Idole. Selmanasar bryngeth Israell to the Assirians. The blasphemic of Sennacherib or Sanherib.

CAPI. XVIII.

IN the thyrde yere of Hosca sonne of Ela [unspec A] kynge of Israel it came to passe, that He∣zckia the sonne of Ahaz kyng of Iuda dyd reygne. Twentye & fyue yere olde was he when be began to reygne, and reygned. xxix. yere in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Abi the doughter of Zacharia, & he dyd that whiche is ryght in the syght of the lorde accordyng to all, as dyd Dauid his father. He put awaye the hyll aulters, & brake the ymages, and cut downe the groues, and al to brake the brasen serpent that Moses had made. For vnto those dayes the chyldren of Israel dyd burne sacrifice to it, and he called it ☞ Nehustan.

He trusted in the lorde God of Israell, so [unspec B] that after hym was none lyke hym amonge all the kynges of Iuda, neyther were there any such before hym For he claue to the lord, and departed not from him, but kepte his cō∣maundementes, whiche the Lorde cōmaun∣ded Moses. And the Lorde was with hym: so that he prospered in all thynges whiche he toke in hande. And he rebelled agaynst the kyng of Assyra, and serued him not. He smote the Philistines euen vnto Aza and the coost{is} therof, ☞ both castels (where they kepte wat∣ches) and stronge cityes.

And in the fourth yere of kyng Hezekia, (whiche was in the seuenth yere of Hosea son [unspec C] of Ela kyng of Israel) it fortuned, that Sal¦manezar kynge of Assyria came vp agaynst Samaria, & beseyged it. And after thre yeres they toke it euen in the syxte yere of Hezckia: that is to say, the nynth yere of Hosea kynge of Israell. And Samaria was wonne. And the kynge of Assyria, dyd carye away Israel vnto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the ryuer of Gozan, & in the ritres of the Medes: bycause they wolde not herken vnto the voyce of the Lorde theyr God.

But transgressed his appoyntinent: and all that Moses the seruaunt of the lorde cōmaū¦ded, & wolde neyther heare them, nor do them Therfore in the. xiiii. yere of kyng Hezekia dyd Sennacherib kynge of Assiria come vp agaynst all the strong cityes of Iuda, & toke them. And Hezekia kyng of Iuda sent to the kyng of Assyria to Lachis, saynge: I haue offended: departe from me, and all that thou puttest on me, that wyl I bere. And the kynge of Assyria appoynted vnto Hezekia kynge of Iuda thre hūdred talentes of syluer, & thyrtie talentes of golde. And Hezekia gaue hym all the syluer that was founde in the house of [unspec D] the Lorde, and in the treasures of the kyng{is} house. At the same season dyd ☞ Hezekia rent of the dores of the temple of the Lorde & the pyllers (which they sayde Hezekia kynge of Iuda had couered ouer) and gaue them to the kynge of Assyria. And the kyng of Assiria sent Tharthan / and Rabsaris / and Rabsabe from Lachis to kynge Hezekia with a great hoost agaynst Ierusalem. And they went vp and came to Ierusalem, and gat them vppe, and stode by the conduyte of the vpper poole whiche is in the way of the fullers felde. And when they had called to the kyng, there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Elkia which was steward of houshold, & Sobna the scribe & Ioah the sonne of Asaph, the recorder. And Rabsake sayd vnto them. Tell ye Hezekia I pray you: thus sayth the great kyng, euen the kyng of Assyria: What confidence is this that thou hast? Doest thou speake suche a lyghte worde in dede. By counsayle & power I wyll be redy to make warre.

On whom then doest thou trust, that thou [unspec E] rebellest agaynst me? doest thou trust to the staffe of this broken rede Egypte, on whiche yf a man leane, it wyll go into his hande, and pearce it. Euen so is Pharao kyng of Egypt vnto all that trust in hym. If ye saye vnto me, we trust in the lorde out god: Is not that he whose hyll aulters, and his other aulters Hezekia hath put downe, and hath sayde to Iuda. 〈…〉〈…〉 Ierusalem, ye shal worshyp before this 〈…〉〈…〉 here in Ierusalem. Now therfore dely•••• the wordes to my lorde the kynge of Assyria, And I wyl delyuer the two thousand horses, yf thou be able to set riders vpō them. Why thynkest thou scorne at the presence of one of the least Dukes of my maysters ser∣uauntes, and trustest to Egypte for charettes and horesmen? Moreouer, am I come nowe without the byddynge of the Lorde to this place, to destroy it••the Lorde sayde to me: Go vp to this lande, and destroy it.

And Eliakim the sonne of Helkia & Sob [unspec F] na and Ioah sayd vnto Rabsake: speake (I praye the) to thy seruauntes in the Sirians language, for we vnderstand it: and ☞ talke not with vs in the Iues tonge, in the eares of this people that are on the wal. And Rab∣sake sayde vnto them: hath my mayster sent me to thy mayster and to the, to speake these wordes: Hath he not sente me bycause of the men which syt on the wal, that they may eate theyr owne donge & drynke theyr owne pysse with you? And so Rabsake stode, and cryed with a loude voyce in the Iues language, & spake, sayeng: heare the sayenge of the great kynge of Assyria. Thus sayth the kynge: let not Hezekia begyle you, for he shall not be a∣ble to delyuer you out of myne hand: neyther let Hezekia make you to trust in the Lorde, saynge: the lorde shall surely delyuer vs, and this citye shal not be gyuē ouer into the haud of the kyng of Assyria. Herken not vnto He∣zekia, for thus sayth the kyng of Assyria.

☞ Deale kyndly with me, & come out to me. And then eate euery man of his owne vyne, [unspec G] and of his owne fyg tree, & drynke euery mā of the water of his owne well, tyll I come, & fetche you to as good a lande as youres is: & lande of corne and wyne, a lande of breade & vyneyardes, a lande of oyle, of olyue trees, & of hony: that ye maye lyue, and not dye. And herken not vnto Hezekia, for he begyleth you sayenge: the Lorde shall delyuer vs. Hath euery one of the Gods of the nacions belyue red his lande, out of the hande of the kyng of Assyria? where is the god of Hamath, & of At phad? & where is the God of Sephatuaim, Hena & Iua? dyd they delyuer Samaria out of myne hande, & what God is it amonge all the Gods of the nacions, that hath delyuered his lande out of myne hande, shall the Lorde delyuer Ierusalem out of myne hande? But they that were of the people helde theyr peace, and answered not hym a worde: for the kyng had cōmaunded, sayeng: answere hym not. Then Eliakim whiche was the stewarde of householde, and Sobna the scrybe, and Ioah the sonne of Asaph the recorder, came to Hezekia ☞ with theyr clothes rent: & tolde hym the wordes of Rabsake.

CAPI. XIX.

¶ The Angell of the Lorde kylleth an hundred four•• score and fyue thousande men of the Asserians.

Sennacherib is kylled of his owne sonnes.

SO it came to passe, that when kyng Heze [unspec A] kia herde it, he rent his clothes, and put on sacke, & came into the house of the lorde and sent Eliakim which was the stewarde of housholde, and Sobna the scribe▪ & the elders▪

of the Preestes clothed in sacke, to Isay the prophet the sonne of Amoz. And they sayde vnto hym, thus sayth Hezekia: ☞ this day is a day of tribulacyon and of rebuke and blas∣phemy. For the chyldrē are come to the byrth, and there is no strength to be delyuered. Per aduenture the Lorde thy God wyl heare all the wordes of Rabsake, whom the kynge of Assyria his mayster hath sent, to rayle on the lyuyng god, and to rebuke hym with wordes whiche the lorde thy God hath herde.

And lyfte thou vp thy prayer for the reme¦naunt that are lefte. So the seruauntes of [unspec B] kyng Hezekia came to Isay: And Isay sayde vnto them: So shall ye say to your mayster: Thus sayth the Lorde: be not afrayde of the wordes whiche thou hast herde, with whiche the yonge men of the kynge of Assyria haue rayled on me. Beholde, I wyll put hym in an other mynde, and he shall heare tydynges, & so returne to his owne lande: And I wyll brynge to passe, that he shall fall vpon the swerde euen in his owne lande. And Rab∣sake went backe agayne and found the kyng of Assyria fyghtynge agaynst Lybna: for he had herde, howe that he was departed from Lachis. And he herde men saye of Thirhaka kynge of the blacke Mores. Beholde, he is come out to fyght agaynst the, he departed, & sent messengers vnto Hezekia, saynge. Thus speake to Hezekia kyng of Iuda, saynge: let not thy god deceyue the, in whom thou tru∣stest, sayenge.

Ierusalem shal not be delyuered in to the [unspec C] hande of the kyng of Assyria. Beholde, thou hast herde, what the kynges of Assyria haue done to all landes, how they haue vtterly de∣stroyed them. And shalte y^u ❀ (alone) escape? Haue the gods of the hethen delyuered them whiche myne aunseters haue destroyed? as Gozan, and Haran, Rezeph, and the chyldren of Eden whiche were in Bithiasat? where is the kyng of Hamath, & the kynge of Arphad the kyng of the citye of Sepharuaim, and of Hena and Iua? So Hezekia receyued the letter of the hande of the messengers, and red it: And Hezekia went vp into the house of the Lorde, and layde it abrode before the Lorde. And Hezekia prayed before the lorde, & sayd: O lorde God of Israell, whiche dwellest by∣twene the Cherubs, thou arte god alone ouer sl the kyngdom{is} of the earth, thou hast made heuen & earth. Lorde, bow downe thyne eare, and heare. Open thou thyne eyes (I beseche the) and se, and heare the wordes of Senna∣cherib whiche hath sent this man to rayle on the lyuyng God. Of a truth lorde, the kyng{is} of Assyria haue destroyed nacyons and theyr landes, and haue set fyre on theyr Goddes. for they were no Gods, but the worke of the handes of man: euen of wood and stone, and they destroyed them.

Nowe therfore, O lorde our God, I be∣seche [unspec D] the, saue thou vs out of his hande, that all the kyngdomes of the earth may knowe, that thou onely arte the lorde God: And Isay the sonne of Amoz sent to Hezekia: sayenge. Thus sayth the Lorde God of Israell: that which thou hast prayed me, concernyng Sen nacherib kyng of Assyria, I haue herde it.

This is therfore the worde that the Lorde hath sayd of hym: ☞ The vyrgyn, euen the doughter of Syon hathe despysed the, and laughed the to scorne (O thou kynge of Assy∣ria) the doughter of Ierusalem hathe shaken her heade at the. Whom hast thou rayled on, & whom hast thou blasphemed? Agaynst whom hast thou exalted thy voyce, and lyfted vp thyne eyes so hye? Euen agaynst the holy of Israel. ☞ By the hand of the messengers thou hast rayled on the lorde and sayde: with the multitude of my charettes I am come vp to the ☞ toppes of the mountaynes, euen a∣longe by the sydes of Libanon, & I wyll cut downe the hye Cedar trees, & the lustye fyrre trees therof: and I wyl go in to the lodgyng of his nest, & in to the wood of his playne.

I haue dygged & dronke straunge waters [unspec E] and with the step of my goyng wyl I drye all the water poles that are beseyged. Hast thou not herde, how I haue ordeyned such a thyng a great whyle a go, & haue prepared it from the begynnyng? And shall I not nowe bryng it forth, that it may destroy, & to bryng strong cityes in to waste heapes of stones? And the enhabitours of them shal be of lytell power, and faynt herted, & confounded, and shall be lyke the grasse of the felde, or grene herbe, or as the hay on the toppes of the houses: or as the corne that is vnripe, and smytten with blastyng. I know thy dwellyng, thy comyng out, and thy goynge in, ❀ (and thy vvay) and thy furye agaynst me. And bycause thou ra∣gest [unspec F] agaynst me, & thynkst thy selfe so blessed I wyll put my hoke in thy nose thyrlles, and my byt in thy lyppes, & wyl brynge the backe agayne the same waye thou camest. And this shall be a sygne vnto the (O Hezekia) Ye shal eate this yere of suche thynges as growe of them selues, and the nexte yere suche as come vp of those that dyd growe of theyr owne ac∣corde. And the thyrde yere sowe ye and reape, plante vyneyardes & eate the fruytes therof. And it that is escaped & lefte, of the doughter

of Iuda, shall yet agayne take routynge downe warde and beare fruyte vpwarde.

For out of Ierusalem shal go a remenaūt [unspec G] and a nombre that shall escape out of mount Sion: the zele of the Lorde of hoostes shall brynge this thynge to passe. Wherfore, thus sayeth the Lorde, concernynge the kynge of Assirya: he shall not come to this Citye / nor shute an arowe in to it, nor come before it with shilde, nor cast backe agaynst it: but shal go backe agayne the waye he came, and shal not come in to this citye sayeth the lorde. For I wyll defende this citye, to saue it, for myne owne sake, and for Dauid my seruauntes sake. And so it came to passe that the selfe same nyght the angell of the Lorde went out and smote in the hooste of the Assiryans an hundred foure score, and fyue thousand. And whē the remenaunt were vp early in the mor¦nynge: they sawe, they were all deade corses. And so Sennacherib kynge of Assirya a∣uoyded and departed: and went agayne, and dwelte at Niniue. And it fortuned, that as he was in a temple worshyppynge Nisroch his god, Adramelech & Saresat his owne sonnes smote him with the swerde. And they escaped in to the lande of Armenia, and Asathaddon his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Hezekia is sycke, and recayueth the sygne of his health. He receyueth rewardes of Be••oda••h, and is reprehended of Isai, bycause he shewed hym the treasure. He dyeth, and Manasseh his sonne reygneth in his steade.

CAPI. XX.

ABoute that tyme was Hezekia sycke vn¦to [unspec A] the death. And the Prophet Isai the sonne of Amoz came to hym, and sayde vnto hym: Thus sayeth the Lorde: ❀ put thyne housholde in an ordre, for thou shalte dye / and not lyue. And Hezekia turned his face to the wall, and prayed vnto the Lorde / saynge: I beseche the now, o lorde remembre how I haue walked before the in trueth, and with a perfyte herte, & haue done that which is good in thy syght, and Hezekia wepte sore. And it fortuned that❀ before Isai was gone out in to the myddle of the courte, the worde of the Lorde came to hym, sayenge: turne a∣gayne, and tell Hezekia the captayne of my people: Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Da∣uid thy father: I haue herde thy prayer / and sene thy teares.

And beholde, I wyll heale the, so that on [unspec B] the thyrde daye thou shalte go vp in to the house of the lorde. And I wyll adde vnto thy dayes yet fyftene yeare, and wyll delyuer the and this citye out of the hande of the kynge of Assirya, & wyll defende this citye for myne owne sake, & for Dauid my seruauntes sake. And Isai sayde. Take a lompe of fygges. And they toke and layde it on the sore, and he recouered. And Hezekia sayde vnto Isai: what shall be the sygne, that the Lorde wyll heale me / & that I shall go vp in to the house of the lorde the thyrde daye? Isai answered: this sygne shalt thou haue of the Lorde, that the Lorde wyll do that he hath spoken shall the shadowe go forwarde ten degrees, or go backe agayne ten degrees? Hezekia answe∣red: it is a lyght thynge for the shadow to go downe ten degrees, ❀ (neyther is that my de∣syre) but yf the shadowe go backewarde ten degrees, it is no lyght thynge. And Isai the prophet called vnto the lorde, & he brought the shadow ten degrees backwarde by which it had gone downe, in the dyall of Ahaz. [unspec C]

The same ceason Berodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan kyng of Babilon sent letters and a present vnto Hezekia, for he had herde, howe that Hezekia was sycke. And He¦zekia was glad of them, and shewed them al his treasure house: syluer, golde, odours, pre∣cyouse oyntment, all the house of his armo∣rye, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothynge in his house, and in all his realme, that Hezekia shewed them not.

And Isai the Prophet came vnto kynge Hezekia, and sayd vnto hym: what sayd these men, and from whence came they to the? And Hezekia sayd: they be come from a far coun∣trey, euen from Babilō. And he sayd agaynei what haue they sene in thy house? Hezekia answered: all the thyng{is} that are in my house haue they sene: there is nothynge among my treasures, that I haue not shewed them. And Isai sayd vnto Hezekia: heare the worde [unspec D] of the Lorde: Beholde, the dayes come, that all that is in thyne house, & whatsoeuer thy fathers haue layde vp in store vnto this day, shall be caryed to Babilon, and nothynge shall be lefte sayeth the lorde. And of thy son∣nes (that shall procede out of the, and which thou shalte beget) shall they take away, and they shall be chamberlaynes in the palace of the kynge of Babilon. And Hezekia sayd vn to Isai: welcome be the worde of the Lorde whiche thou hast spoken: And he sayde: shall there not be peace and trueth in my dayes? The remenaunt of the wordes that concerne Hezekia, and all his power, and howe he made a poole and a conduyte, and brought water in to the cytye, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda? And Hezekia slept with his fathers, and Manasse his Sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Wythed Manasse restoreth agayne the Idols, and after dyeth, in whose steade Amon his sonne sucredeth / whiche is kylled of his owne saruauntes. After hym reygneth faythfull Iosia, whorne we vse to call Iosia••, or Iosiah••.

CAPI. XXI.

MAnasse was twelue yeare olde, when [unspec A] he began to reygne, and reygned fyftye and fyue yeare in Ierusalem: his mo∣thers name also was Hephziba. And he dyd euyll in the syghte of the Lorde, euen after the abhominacyons of the Hethen whom the Lorde caste oute before the chyldren of Is∣raell. For he went and buylte vp the hylaul∣tees, whiche Hezekia his Father had de∣stroyed: And he reared vp aulters for Baall, and made groues (as dyd Ahab kynge of Israell,) and worshypped all the hooste of heuen, and serued them. And he buylte aul∣ters in the house of the Lorde, of whiche the Lorde sayde: in Ierusalem wyll I put my name. And he buylt aulters for all the hooste of heuen, euen in two courtes of the house of the lorde. And he offered his sonne in fyre / and gaue hede vnto witchcrafte and forcery, and maynteyned workers with spirytes, and tellers of fortunes: & wrought moch wycked¦nesse in the syght of the Lorde to angre hym.

And he put an ymage of a groue (that he [unspec B] had made) euen in the temple, of whiche the Lorde had sayd to Dauid and to Salomon his sonne, in this house and in Ierusalem (whiche I haue chosen out of the Crybes of Israell) wyll I put my name for euer. Ney∣ther wyll I make the feete of Israell moue any more out of the lande, whiche I gaue theyr fathers: so that they wyll obserue and do all that I haue commaunded them, and accordynge to all the lawe that my seruaunt Moses commaunded them. But they herke∣ned not: and Manasse led them out of the waye, to do more wyckedlye then dyd the He then people, whome the lord destroyed before the chyldren of Israell. And the Lorde spake by his seruauntes the Prophettes, sayenge: bycause Manasse kynge of Iuda hath▪ done soche abhomynacyons, and hath wrought more wyckedlye then all that the Amorytes (whiche were before hym) dyd: & hath made Iuda synne also with his Idols: Therfore thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israell.

Beholde, I wyl brynge such euyll vpon Ierusalem and Iuda, that who so heareth of [unspec C] it bothe his eares shall tyngle. And I wyll stretch ouer Ierusalem ☞ the squaryng lyne of Samaria, and the plommet of the house of Ahab. And I wyll wype out Ierusalem, as a man wypeth a dyshe, and when he hath wyped it, turneth it vp syde downe.

And I wyll leaue the remenaunt of myne enherytaunce, & delyued them into the hande of theyr eneemyes, & they shall be robbed and spoyled of al theyr aduersaries, euen bycause they haue done euyll in my syght, and haue angred me, sence the tyme their fathers came out of Egypt vnto this daye. And Manasse shed innocent bloode excedynge moche, tyl he repienysshed▪ Ierusalem frō corner to corner, besyde his synne wherwith he made Iuda to syn, and to do euyll in the syght of the Lorde. The rest of the wordes that concerne Ma∣nasse, and all that he dyd, and his synne that he synned, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iuda?

And Manasse slept with his fathers, and [unspec D] was buryed in his owne house, euen in the garden of Uza: and Amon his son reygned in his steade. Amon was. xxii. yeare olde when he began to reygne, & he reygned two yeare in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Mesulemeth the doughter of Haruz of Iocba. And he dyd euyll in the syght of the Lorde, (as his Father Manasse dyd,) and walked in all the waye that his father wal∣ked in: and serued the ydols that his father serued, and worshipped them. And he forsoke the Lorde God of his fathers, and walked not in the waye of the lorde. And the seruaū∣tes of Amon cōspyred agaynst hym, and slue the kynge in his owne house. And the people of the lande slue all them that had conspyred agaynst kynge Amon, and the people made Iosia his sonne kynge / in his steade. The rest of the wordes that concerne Amon, what thynges he dyd, are they not wrytten in the booke of the Cronicles of the kynges of Iu∣da? And they buryed hym in his sepulchre, in the garden of Uza: and Iosia his sonne reyg∣ned in his steade.

¶ After Iosia herde of the boke of the lawe that was sounde in the Temple, he sendeth to Old••h the Prophetesse for councell.

CAPI. XXII.

Iosia was . viii. yeare olde when he be∣gan [unspec A] to reygne, and he reygned. xxxi. yeare in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Iedida the doughter of Adaia of Boz∣cath. He dyd that which is ryght in the syght of the Lorde / and walked in all the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neyther to the ryght hande or to the lefte. And it came to passe, that in the. xviii. yeare of the reygne of kynge Iosia, the kynge sent Saphan the sonne of Azalia the Sonne of Mesulan the scrybe / to the house of the Lorde, saynge: go vp to Helkia the hygh Preest / that he maye

summe the syluer whiche is brought in to the house of the Lorde, whiche the kepers of the porche haue gathered of the people, and let them delyuer it in to the hande of them that do the worke, and that haue the ouersyght of the house of the lorde: and let them gyue it to them that worke in the house of the Lorde / (to repayre the decayed places of the temple) [unspec B] euen vnto carpenters and masons, and for to bye tymbre, and fre stoone to repayre the temple. Howebeit, let no rekenynge be made with them of the money that is delyuered in to theyr hande, for theyr vse is to deale fayth∣fullye. and Helkia the hygh Preest sayd vn¦to. Saphan the scrybe: ☞ I haue founde the boke of the lawe in the house of the lorde / and Helkia gaue the booke to Saphan, and he red in it. And Saphan the scrybe came to the kynge, & brought hym worde agayne / and sayde: Thy seruauntes haue bestowed the money (that was founde in the temple) and haue delyuered it vnto them that do the worke, and that haue the ouersyght of the house of the lorde. And Saphan the ••••rybe shewed the kynge sayenge: Helkia the preest hath delyuered me a booke. And Saphan red in it before the kynge.

And it fortuned, that when the kynge had herde the wordes of the booke of the lawe, he [unspec C] rent his clothes. And the kynge commaun∣ded Helkia the Preest, and Ahikam the sonne of Saphan, and Achbor the sonne of Ma∣chaia, and Saphan the scrybe, and Asahia a seruaunte of the kynges, sayenge: Go ye, and enquyre of the Lorde for me, and for the people, and for all Iuda, concernyng the wor¦des of this booke that is founde. For greate is the wrath of the Lorde that is kyndled a∣gaynst vs, bycause our fathers heue not her∣kened vnto the wordes of this booke, to do accordynge vnto all that, whiche is wrytten therin for vs. So Helkia the hygh preest and Ahikam, Achbor, and Saphan, and Asahia went vnto Hulda the Prophettesse the wyfe of Sullam the sonne of Chikua the sonne of Harham keper of the wardrop, whiche Pro∣phettesse dwelt in Ierusalem in the ☞ house of the doctryne, and they cōmuned with her.

And she answered them: thus sayeth the [unspec D] Lorde god of Israell. Tell the man that sent you to me: thus sayeth the Lorde: beholde, I wyll bryng euyll vpon this place, and on the inhabytours therof: (euen all the wordes of the boke which the kynge of Iuda hath red) bycause they haue forsaken me, and haue burnt incense vnto other Godes, to angre me with al the workes of theyr hand{is}: My wrath also shall be kyndled agaynst this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the kynge of Iuda (whiche sent you to aske counsayle of the Lorde,) so shall ye saye: thus sayeth the lorde God of Israell, as touchyng the word{is} whiche ye haue herde: Bycause thyne herte dyd melte, and bycause thou hast humbled thy selfe before me the Lorde, when thou her∣dest what I spake agaynst this place, and a∣gaynst the enhabytours of the same (howe that they shulde be destroyed and a cursed:) and hast rent thy clothes and wepte before me: of that also haue I herde, sayth the lorde. Behold therfore, I wyll receyue the vnto thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in to thy graue in peace, and thyne eyes shall not se all the euyll, whiche I wyll brynge vpon this place. And they brought the kynge worde agayne.

¶ Iossa redeth Deuteronomie before the people. He putteth downe the Idolles after he had kylled the p••••r••tes therof. He kepeth Passeouer. He was kylled in Magedo, and his sonne Iehoa az reygneth in his steade. After he was taken, his sonne Iehoa••im was made kynge. [unspec A]

CAPI. XXIII.

ANd then the kynge sent, and there ga¦thered vnto hym all the elders of Iuda and of Ierusalem. And the kynge went vp in to the house of the Lorde, with all the men of Iuda and all the enhabytours of Ie∣rusalem, with the Preestes, and Prophettes and all the people bothe small and greate. And he red in the eares of them all the wor∣des of the boke of the couenaunt, which was founde in the house of the Lorde. And the kynge stode by a pyller and made a coue∣naunt before the lorde, that they shuld walke after the Lorde, and kepe his commaunde∣mentes, his wytnesses, and his statutes with all theyr herte, and all theyr soule, and make good the wordes of the sayde appoyntment that were wrytten in the forsayde booke. And all the people consented to the appoynt∣ment. And the kynge commaunded Helkia the hygh Preest, and the inferyoure preestes and the kepers of the ornamentes, to brynge out of the temple of the Lorde, all the vessels that were made for Baall, for the groues, & for all the hooste of heuen.

And he burte them without Ierusalem in [unspec B] the feldes of Cedron, and caryed the asshes of them in to Bethell. And he put ☞ downe the mynysters of Baall, whome the kynges of Iuda had founded to burne incense in the hylaulters and cityes of Iuda, that were rounde aboute Ierusalem, and also them that burnt incense vnto Baall to the sonne / to the moone, to the planettes, and to all the hooste of heuen. And he brought but the

groue from the temple of the Lorde without Ierusalem vnto the broke Cedrō, and burnt it there at the broke Cedron, and stampte it to pouder, and ☞ cast the dust therof vpon the graues of the chyldren of the people. And he brake downe the celles of the male stues, that were by the house of the Lorde, where the women woue hangynges for the groue.

And he brought all the Preestes out of the cytyes of Iuda, and defyled the hylaulters, where the Preestes had burnt incense, euen from Geba to Beerseba, & destroyed the aul∣ters of the gates, that were in the enterynge of the gate of Iosua the gouernour of the ci∣tye, whiche were (as a man goeth in) on the lefte hande of the gate of the citye. Neuerthe lesse the Preestes of the hylaulters came not vp to the aulter of the Lorde in Ierusalem / saue onelye they dyd eate of the swete breade amonge theyr brethren.

And he defyled ☞ Topheth, whiche is in the valeye of the chyldren of Hinnom, by∣cause [unspec C] no man shulde offer his Sonne, or his doughter in fyre to Molech: he put downe ☞ the horses that the kynges of Iuda had gyuen to the sonne at the enterynge in of the house of the Lorde, by the chambre of Na∣thanmelech the chamberlayne whiche was ruler of the suburbes, and burnt the charet∣tes of the Sonne with fyre. And the aulters that were on the top of the parloure of Ahaz (whiche the kynges of Iuda had made) and the aulters whiche Manasse had made in the two courtes of the house of the Lorde / dyd the kynge breake downe, and ran thence and cast the dust of them in to the broke Ce∣dron. And the hylaulters that were before Ie¦rusalem on the ryght hande of the mounte Oliuete (whiche Salomon the kynge of Israell had buylded for Astaroth the Idoll of the Zidons, and for Chamos the Idoll of the Moabites, and for Milchom the abho∣mynable Idoll of the Chyldren of Ammon) those the kynge ☞ defyled: and brake the ymages, and cut downe the groues, and fyl∣led theyr places with the bones of men.

Moreouer the aulter that was at Be∣thell, the hylaulter made by Ieroboam the [unspec D] Sonne of Nabat) whiche made Israell syn) bothe the aulter and also the hyll, he brake downe and burnt the hyl aulter and stampte it to powder, and burnt the groue. And as Iosia turned hym selfe, he spyed the graues that were in the mount, and sent and set the bones out of the graues, and burt them vpō the aulter, to pollute it, accordynge to the worde of the Lorde that the men of god pro∣claymed whiche tolde the same wordes.

Then he sayd: what graue stone is yonder that I se? And the men of the citye tolde hym, it is the sepulchre of the man of God, whiche came from Iuda, and tolde the selfe same thynges that thou hast done to the aulter of Bethell. And he sayde let hym be: se that no man moue his bones. And so his bones were saued with the bones of a Prophet that came out of Samaria▪ And in all the houses of the hylaulters in the cityes of Samaria whiche the kynges of Israell had made, to angre ❀ (the Lorde) withall: those Iosia put out of the waye, and dyd to them accordynge to all the actes that he had done in Bethel. And he sacrifyced all the Preestes of the hylaul∣ters that were there euen vpon the aulters / and burnt mennes bones vpon them, and re¦turned to Ierusalem.

And the kynge commaunded all the peo∣ple, [unspec E] saynge: kepe the feast of Passeouer vn∣to the Lorde your God as it is wrytten in the boke of this couenaunt. There was no Passe, ••••er holden lyke that, from the dayes of the iudges that iudged Israell, and in all the dayes of the kynges of Israell and of the kynges of Iuda. In the. xviii. yere of kynge Iosia was this Passeouer holdē to the lorde in Ierusalem. And therto workers with spi∣rites and sothsayers, ymages, ydolles, and al the abhominacions that were spyed in the lande of Iuda and in Ierusalem, those dyd Iosia put out of the waye, to perfourme the wordes of the lawe, whiche were wrytten in the booke, that Helkia the Preest founde in the house of the Lorde: lyke vnto hym was there no kynge before hym, that turned to the Lorde with all his herte, w^t all his soule / and all his myght, accordyng to all the lawe of Moses, neyther after hym arose there any soche as he.

Notwithstandynge the Lorde turned not [unspec F] from the fearcenesse of his greate wrath / (wherwith he was angrye agaynst Iuda) bycause of all the prouocacyons that Ma∣nasse had prouoked hym withall. And the Lorde sayde: I wyll put Iuda also, out of my syght, as I haue done away Israell, and wyll cast of this citye Ierusalem whiche I haue chosen, and the house of whiche I sayd: my name shall be there. The rest of the wor∣des that concerne Iosia and all that he dyd / are they not wrytten in the booke of the cro∣nicles of the kynges of Iuda. In his dayes Pharao ☞ Necho kynge of Egypt went vp agaynst the kynge of Assyria to the ryuer of Euphrates. And kynge Iosia went agaynst

hym, and was sleyne of hym at Magyddo / when he had sene hym. And his seruauntes caryed hym ••••••ad from Magiddo, & brought hym to Ierusalem, and buryed hym in his owne sepulchre. And the people of the lande toke ☞ Iehoahaz the Sonne of Iosia, and anoynted hym, and made hym▪ kynge in his fathers steade.

Iehoahaz was. xxiii. years olde when he [unspec G] began to reygne, and reygned thre mone∣thes in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Hamiel the doughter of Ieremia of Lib¦na. And he dyd euyl in the syght of the lorde / accordynge to all thynges as his Fathers had done. And Pharao Necho put hym in bondes at Rebla, in the lande of Hamath, that he shulde not reygne in Ierusalem, and put the lande to a trybute of an hundred ta∣lentes of syluer, and a talent of golde. And Pharao Necho made Eliakim the sonne of Iosia kynge in the rowme of Iosia his fa∣ther, and turned his name to Iehoakim, and toke Iehoahaz awaye, whiche when he came to Egypte, dyed there. And Iehoakim gaue the syluer and the golde to Pharao: and tax∣ed the lande, to gyue the money accordynge to the request of Pharao: requirynge of eue∣ry man (accordynge to theyr abilyte) syluer and golde: euen of the people of the lande / to gyue vnto Pharao Necho. Iehoakim was xxv. yere olde when he began to reygne, and he reygned a. xi. yeare in Ierusalem. His mo∣thers name also was Zebuda the doughter of Pedaia of Ruma. And he dyd that which was euyll in the syght of the Lorde, accor∣dynge to all thyng{is} as his fathers had done.

¶ Iehoakim dyeth. Ierusalem is beseyged of the Ba∣bilonians. Iehoachin yeldeth hym selfe to the kynge of Babilon And in his roume came Mathaniah. which was called zedekia.

CAPI. XXIIII.

IN his dayes came Nabuchodonezer kyng [unspec A] of Babilō vp, and Iehoakim became his seruaunte thre yere, and then turned / and rebelled agaynst hym. And the Lorde sent vpon hym ☞ men of warte from among the Caldeys, from amonge the Sirians, out of the Moabites, and from the chyldren of Am¦mon: and sent them agaynst Iuda, to destroy it, accordynge to the sayenge of the Lorde / whiche he spake by his seruauntes the Pro∣phettes. Onely, at the byddynge of the lorde happened it so to Iuda, to put them out of his syght, for the synnes of Manasse, accor∣dynge to all that he dyd: and for the innocent bloode that he shed, and fylled Ierusalem with innocent bloode: and the Lorde wolde not be reconcyled.

The rest of the wordes that concerne Ie∣hoakim [unspec B] and al that he dyd, are they not wryt¦ten in the boke of the Cronicles of the kyng{is} of Iuda? And so Iehoakim slept with his fa∣thers, and Iehoachin his sonne reygned in his steade. And the kynge of Egypt came no more out of his lande: for the kynge of Babi¦lon had taken (from the ryuer of Egypt vn∣to the ryuer of Euphrates) all that pertey∣ned to the kynge of Egypt. Iehoachin was xviii. yere olde when he began to reygne, and reygned in Ierusalem thre monethes. His mothers name also was Nebustha the dough¦ter of Elnathan of Ierusalem. And he dyd that which was euyl in the syght of the lorde accordynge to all, as his father had done.

In that tyme came the seruauntes of Na¦buchadnezar kynge of Babilon, vp agaynst Ierusalem, and the citye was beseyged.

And Nabuchadnezar the kynge of Babi∣lon [unspec C] came agaynst the cytye, and his seruaun∣tes dyd beseyge it. And Iehoachin the kynge of Iuda came out to the kynge of Ba∣bilon, he and his mother, his seruauntes, his Lordes, and his chamberlaynes. And the kyng of Babilon toke hym, in the eyght yere of his reygne. And he caryed out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lorde, and the treasure of the kynges house, and brake all the vesselles of golde (whiche Salomon kynge of Israell had made, in the temple of the Lorde,) as the Lorde sayde. And he ca∣ryed awaye all Ierusalem, and all the lordes, and al the strong men of war, euen ten thou∣sande in to captiuytye: and all craftes men, and kepers, none remaynynge saue the poore comen people of the lande.

And he caryed away Iehoachin to Ba∣bilion, and the kyng{is} mother, and the kyng{is} [unspec D] wyues, his chamberlaynes / and them that were myghtye in the lande, those caryed he away in to captiuite from Ierusalem to Ba∣bilon. And all the actiue men of war, euen se∣uen thousande, and craftes men, and porters a thousande, all that were stronge and apte for warre, dyd the kynge of Babilon brynge to Babilon captyue. And the kynge of Ba∣bilon made Mathania (his fathers brother) kynge in his steade, and chaunged his name to Zedekia. Zedekia was xxi. yeare olde when he began to reygne, and he reygned eleuen yeare in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Hamitall the doughter of Ie¦remia of Libna. And he dyd euyl in the syght of the Lorde, accordynge to all as Iehoachin had done. For the wrath of the Lorde was moued agaynst Ierusalem and Iuda, vntyl

he cast them out of his syght. And zedekia re belled agaynst the kynge of Babilon.

¶ Ierusalem is beserged of Nabuchodonezer (otherwyse cal led Nebuchudnezer,) and the ••••mple and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are bothe burn••e. The sofies of zedekis are sleyue before his eyes, and after are his owne eyes put out. Iuda is brought to Babilon, and af∣ter is Iehoachin exalted.

CAPI. XXV.

ANd it fortuned, that in the nynth yere [unspec A] of his reygne, the tenth day of the tenth moneth: Nebuchadnezar kynge of Ba∣bilon came / he and all his hoost agaynst Ie∣rusalem: and pytched agaynst it, and made engynnes agynst it on euerye syde. And the citye was beseyged vnto the. xi. yere of kynge Zedekia. And the nynth daye ☞ of the mo∣neth, there was so greate hongre in the cytye, that there was ☞ no breade for the people of the lande. And the citye was broken vp: and all the men of Armes fled by nyght, by a way thorow a gate / which is bytwene two walles by the kynges garden: the Caldeyes lyenge aboute the cytye. And the kynge wente the way towarde the playne.

And the souldyers (of the Caldeyes fo∣lowed [unspec B] after the kynge, and toke hym in the playne of Iericho, and all his Armye were scattered awaye from hym, ❀ (and lefte hym) So they toke the kynge, and brought hym to Nebuchadnezar the kynge of Babilon, to Ribla, where ☞ they reasoned with hym. And they flue the Sonnes of Zedekia before his eyes, and he put out the eyes of Zedekia, and fettered hym, and caryed hym to Babi∣lon. And the seuenth daye of the fyfth mo∣neth whiche is the nynteneth yeare of kynge Nebuchadnezer kynge of Babilon, came Ne busaradan a seruaunt of the kynge of Babi∣lons (and the cheyfe captayne of the men of [unspec C] warre) vnto Ierusalem: and burnt the house of the Lorde, and the kynges house, and all the houses of Ierusalem, and all great hou∣ses burnt he with fyre. And all the souldyers of the Caldeyes that were with the cheyf cap tayne of the men of warte: broke downe the walles of Ierusalem rounde aboute. But the rest of the people that were lefte in the cytye / and them that were fled to the kynge of Ba∣bilon, with the remenaunt of the comen peo∣ple, dyd Nabusaradam the cheyfe captayne of the men of warre carye a way, but the cap∣tayne of the souldyers, lefte of the poore of the lande, to dresse the vynes, and to tyll the grounde.

And the pyllers of brasse that were in the house of the Lorde, and the sockettes, and the brasen Lauatory that was in the house of the [unspec D] Lorde dyd the Caldeyes breake, and caryed all the brasse of them to Babylon. And the pottes, shouelles, dressynge knyues, spones, and all the vessels of brasse that they miny∣stred in, toke they awaye. And the fyre pan∣nes, and basens, and soche thynges as were of golde and of syluer, them toke the cheyfe captayne awaye: euen two pyllers, one Laua torye, and the sockettes which Salomon had made for the house of the Lorde. The brasse of al these vessels was without weyght. The heyght of the one pyller was. xviii. cubytes, and the heade theron was brasse, and thre cu∣bytes hygh and vpon the heade was there a wrethen worke, and pomgarnettes rounde aboute, all of brasse. And of the same fassyon was the second pyller, with a wrethen worke.

And the cheyfe captayne of the men of [unspec E] warte toke Saraia the cheyfe Preest, and Zephoniah the hyest preest saue one, and the thre kepers of the holy thynges. And out of the cytye he toke a chamberlayne, (that had the ouersyght of the men of warre) and fyue men of them that were euer in the kynges presence, whiche were foūde in the cytye: and hym that was Scrybe to the captayne of the hooste (whiche brought out the people of the lande to warre) and thre score men of the peo∣ple of the lande that were founde in the citie.

And Nabusaradan the cheyfe captayne of the men of warre toke these, and brought them to the kynge of Babylon to Ribla. And the kynge of Babylon smote them, and slue them at Ribla in the lande of Hanath. And so Iuda was caryed away out of theyr lande

Howe be it, there remayned people in the lande of Iuda, whom Nebuchadnezar kynge [unspec F] of Babylon lefte, and made Gedalia the son of Ahikam the sonne of Saphan ruler ouer them. And al the captaynes of the souldyers (and other men) herde, that the kynge of Ba¦bilon had made Gedalia gouerner: and there came to Gedalia to Mazphah: Ismaell the Sonne of Nethania, Iohanan the sonne of Karea, Saraia the Sonne of Thanhumeth the Netophathite, and Iaazania the sonne of Maachati, and theyr men. And Gedalia sware to them & to the men whome they had with them, and sayde vnto them: feare not ye bycause ye are the seruauntes of the Cal∣deyes: dwell in the lande, and serue the kyng of Babylon, and ye shall be well.

But it chaunced in the seuenth moneth / that Ismaell the sonne of Nethania, the son of Elisama, of the kynges bloode, came, and [unspec G] ten men with hym, and smote Gedalia, that he dyed: and so dyd he the Iues and the Cal∣deyes that were with hym at Mizpa.

And all the people (both smalle and great) and the captaynis of warre, arose and came to Egypte: for they were afrayde of the Cal∣deyes. Notwithstandynge yet in the .xxxvii. yere after Ieoachin kynge of Iuda was ca∣ryed awaye, the .xxvii. daye of the twelueth moneth, Euylmerodach kynge of Babylon (the same yeare that he began to reygne) dyd ☞ lyfte vp the heade of Iehoachin kynge of Iuda out of the pryson, and spake kyndlye to hym, and set his seate a∣boue the seate of the kynges that were with hym in Babylon, and chaunged his pry∣son garmentes. And he dyd euer eate bread before hym all the dayes of his lyfe. His porcyon was a conty∣nuall porcyō that was assygned hym of the kynge (euery daye a cer∣tayne) as longe as he lyued.

❧ The ende of the fourth Boke of the Kynges.

¶ The fyrst boke of the Cronycles / called in the latyn Uerba dierum / or (after the Gre∣kes) Paralipomenon: whiche the Hebrues call Dibre Haiamim / and reken bothe the bokes but for one.

¶ A brefe rehersall of all the genealogie of Adam, and so forth vnto the sonnes of Esau, and Iacob.

CAPI. Primo.

ADam / Seth, Enos: Re∣nan, [unspec A] Mahalehel, Iared: Henoch Methusalah, Lamech, Noah / Sem, Ham, and Iapheth. The sonnes of Iapheth: Gomer / Magog / Ma∣dai, Iauan, and Thuball, Mesech, and Thi¦ras. The Sonnes of Gomer: Aschena••, Di∣phath, and Thogarma. And the sonnes of Iauan: Elisa & Tharsisa, Citim and Doda∣nim. The Sonnes of Ham: Chus, and Miz∣raim, Phut and Canaan. The Sonnes of Chus: Siba, and Hauila, Sabbetha, and Rahma and Sabtheca. And the Sonnes of Rahma: Seba and Dedan. And Chus bega•• Nimrod: and he began to be myghtye vpon▪ the earth. Mizraim begat Ludim, and Ana∣min, Lahabim, and Naphth••im, Phatru∣sim, and Castuim: of whiche came the Phelis∣tines and the Chaphthorites. Canaan, begat Zidon his eldest son, and Heth, Iebusi also and Amori, and Girgasi, Heui, Araki, and Sini, and Aruadi, Zamari and Hemathi▪ [unspec B]

The sonnes of Sem: Elam, and Issut, Arphacsad, Lud, & Aram, and Uz, Hul, and Gether and Masech. Arphacsad begat Se∣lah, and Selah begat Eber. And vnto Ebes were borne two sonnes: the name of the one was Pelegge, bycause that in his dayes the lande was deuyded. And his brothers name was Ioktan. Ioktan begat Almodad, and Saleph, Hazermaneth and Ierah: Hadoran also and Usall, and Dikla: Ebal & Abimael, and Seba, and Ophir, Hauila, and Iobab. All these were the sonnes of Ioktan. Se•••• Arphacsad, Selah: Eber, Peleg, Rehu: Se∣rug, Nahor, Therah: Abram, otherwyse cal∣led Abraham. The sonn{is} of Abraham, Isaac and Ismaell. And these are theyr generacy∣ons: The eldest sonne of Ismaell was Na∣baioth, then Kedar, Adbeell, and Mibsam▪ Misma, and Dumah, Maska, Hadad and Thema: Ie••ur, Naphis and Kedma. These are the Sonnes of Ismaell.

The chyldrē of Ketura Abrahams cōcubute▪ [unspec C]

she bare Zimran, Ioksan, Medan, Median / Iisbok and Suah. The chyldren of Ioksan Seba, and Dedan. ❀ (The Chyldren of De∣dan, Assurim, and Latussim, and Laomini.) The chyldren of Midian: Epha, and Epher, Henoch, Abida and Eldaa. All these are the chyldren of Ketura. And so Abraham begat Isaac. The sonnes of Isaac: Esau & Israel. The sonnes of Esau: Eliphaz, Rehuell Ie∣hus, Iaelam, and Korah. The chyldren of Eliphaz: Themā, Omer, Zephi, and Gah∣tham, Kenas, Thimna, and Amalek. The chyldren of Rehuell: Nahath, Zerah, Sam∣ma, and Miza. The Sonnes of Seir: Lo∣tan, Soball, Zibeon, And Ana, Dison, Ezer and Disan. The chyldren of Lotan: Hori & Homam, and Thimna was Lotans syster. The chyldren of Soball: Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Sephi, and Onam. The sonnes of Zi∣beon: Aia and Ana. And the sonnes of Ana: Dison. The senn{is} of Dison: Hamran, Esban Iithran, and Cheran. The sonnes of Ezer: Bilham, Zaeuan, and Iakan. The sonnes of Disan: Uz and Aran.

These are the kynges that reygned in the lande of Edom, before any kynge reyg∣ned [unspec D] ouer the chyldren of Israel: Bela the son of Beor, and the name of his cytye was Din∣haba. And Bela dyed, and Iobab the sonne of Zerah of Bozra reygned in his steade. And when Iobab also was deade. Husam of the lande of the Themanytes reygned in his steade. And when Husam was deade. Hadad, the sonne of Bedad which smote Midian in the felde of Moab, reygned in his steade, and the name of his cytye was Auith. So Hadad dyed, and Samla of Masreka reygned in his steade. And Samla dyed, and Saull of Rehoboth by the ryuer syde, reygned in his steade. And when Saull was deade. Baall Hanan the sonne of Achbor reygned in his steade. And Baall hanan dyed, and Hadad reygned in his steade, and the name of his cy¦tye was Pahi, and his wyues name Meheta∣becl•• the doughter of Ma••red, the doughter of Mesahab. Hadad dyed also, & there were Dukes in Edom. Duke Thimna, Duke Al••¦ah, and Duke Ietheth, Duke Apholibama / Duke Ela, Duke Pinon, Duke Kenaz, duke Themam, Duke Mibzar, Duke Magdiell and Duke Iram. These are the Dukes of Edom.

¶ The Genealogie of Iuda, vnto Isai the father of Dauid.

CAPI. II.

THese be the Sonnes of Israell: Ruben / [unspec A] Symeon, Leui, Iuda, Isachar and Za¦bulon: Dan, Ioseph, Ben Iamin, Nephthali Gad and Asser the sonnes of Iuda: Er, O∣nan, and Sela, These thre were borne vnto hym of Bath Sua the Cananytesse. And Er¦the eldest Sonne of Iuda was euyll in the, syght of the Lorde, & he slue hym. And Tha¦mar his doughter inlawe bare hym Pharez, and Zara: and so all the sonn{is} of Iuda were▪ fyue. The sonnes of Pharez, Hezron, and Hamull. The sonnes of Zarah, Zimri, Ethā, Zeman, Chalcholl and Dara: whiche were fyue in all.

And the sonnes of Charmi Achar that troubled Israel, transgressyng in the thyng, [unspec B] that was dampned. The Sonnes of Ethan: Azaria. The sonnes also of Hezron that were borne vnto hym: Ierhamehel, Ram and Che¦lubat. And Ram begat Aminadab: and Aminadab begat Nahson a lorde of the chyl¦dren of Iuda. And Nahson begat Salma: and Salma begat Boaz: Boaz begat Obed: and Obed begat Isai. And Isai begat his eldest Sonne Eliab, and Aminadab the seconde, and Simaa the thyrde, Nathanaell the fourth / and Radai the fyfte, Ozem the syxte and Dauid the seuenth. Whose systers were Zeruia and Abigaill. The Sonnes of Zaruia: Abisai, Ioab and Azahell, thre. And Abigaill bare Amaza, the father of whiche Amaza was Iether an Ismaelite.

And Caleb the son of Hezron begat Asu∣ba [unspec C] (of his wyfe Asuba) and Ierthoth, whose sonnes are these: Ieser / Sobab and Ardon. And when Asuba was deade / Caleb toke E∣phrata, whiche bare hym Hur. And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel. After∣warde came Hezron to the doughter of Ma∣chir the father of Gilead, and toke her when he was thre score yeare olde. And she bare hym Segub, and Segub begat Iair, whiche had thre and twentye cytyes in the lande of Gilead. And he ouercame Gessur, and Aram, the townes of Iair from them, and Kenath and the townes therof: euen. lx. townes.

All these were the sonnes of Machir, the father of Gilead. And after that Hezron was deade at Caleb in Ephrata / Abia Hez∣rons wyfe, bare hym, Ashur the father of [unspec D] Thekoa. And the sonnes of Ierhameell the eldest sonne of Hezon were: Ram, the eldest, Buna / Oren / Ozem and Ahia. And Ierha∣meell had yet an other wyfe named Atara, whiche was the mother of Onam. And the sonnes of Ram, the eldest son of Ierhameell were: Maaz, Iamin and Ekar. The sonnes of Onam were, Sammai, and Iada. The son¦nes of Sammai: Nadab and Abisur.

And the wyfe of Abisur was called Abi∣hail,

and she bare hym Ahban and Molid. The sonnes of Nadab: Seled and Appa••m. [unspec E] And Seled dyed without chyldren. The son of Appa••m: Iesei, and the sonnes of Iesei: Se¦san. And the sonnes of Sesan: Ahlai. And the sonnes of Iada the brother of Samai: Ie∣ther and Ionatham. And Iether dyed with∣out chyldren. The sonnes of Ionatham: Pe∣leth and Zaza. These were the sonnes of Ier¦hameel. Sesan had no sonnes, but doughters And Sesan had a seruaūt that was an Egyp∣tyan, named Iarha, to whome he gaue his doughter to wyfe, and she bare hym Athai. And Athai begat Nathan. And Nathan be∣gat Zabad. And Zabad begat Aphlal: and Aphlal begat Obed, Obed begat Iehu. And Iehu begat Azaria, Azaria begat Halez, And Halez begat Elasa, Elasa begat Sisamai. And Sisamai begat Sallum, Sallum begat Iecamia, Iecamia begat Elisamah,

The sonnes of Caleb the brother of Ier∣hameel: [unspec F] Mesa his eldest sonne, whiche was the father of Ziph: and the sonnes of Ma∣resa the father of Hebron. The sonnes of He∣bron: Corah, & Tap••ah, Rekem & Sama. Sa∣ma begat Raham the father of Ierkoā. And Rekem begat Sammai. The son of Sammai was Maon. And Maon was the father of Bethzur. And Epha a concubine of Calebs bare Hara, and Mosa and Gazez: Haran be∣gat Gazez. The sonnes of Iahdai were Re∣gem Iothan, Gesan, Pellet, Epha & Saaph.

And Maacha was Calebs concubine, of whome he begat Seber and Thirhana. And she bare also Saaph the father of Madman na, and Seua the father of Machbena, and the father of Gibea. And Achsa was Ca∣lebs doughter.

These were the sonnes of Caleb the son of Hur the eldest sonne of Ephrata: Soball [unspec G] the father of Kiriath Iearim: Salma the fa∣ther of Bethleem: and Hareph the father of Beth Gader: And Sobal the father of Kiriath Iearim had sonnes, and he sawe the halfe of the countrey of the mansions.

The kynreddes of Kiriath Iearim are these: the Iethrites, the Happuthites, the Has¦sumathites, & the Hamis••aites. And of them came the Zarathites and the Esthaulites. The sonnes of Salma: the Bethleemites, and Netophathit{is} the glory of the house of Ioab and halfe the countrey of the mansions gat the Zaraites. The kynreddes of the wryters dwelte at Iabes, the Tirathites, the Simea∣thites, the Suchathites whiche are the Ke∣nites, that came of Hemath the father of the house of Rechab.

¶ The Genealogie of Dauid in Hebron, and in Ierusalem.

CAPI. III.

THese were the sonnes of Dauid whiche [unspec A] were borne vnto hym in Hebron the eldest, Amnon of Ahinoam the Iesrae∣litesse. The seconde Daniell of Abigaill the Carmelitesse. The thyrde Absalom the sonne of Maacha, doughter of Thalmai kynge of Gesur. The fourthe Adonia the son of Hag∣gith. The fyfte Sephatia of Abitall. The syxte Iethream by Egla his wyfe. These. vi. were borne vnto hym in Hebron and there he reygned seuen yere & syxe monethes. And in Ierusalem he reygned. xxxiii. yere.

And these were borne vnto hym in Ie∣rusalem: Simeia, Sobab, Nathan & Salo∣mon. [unspec B] iiii. of Bath Sua the doughter of Am∣miel. Abhar also and Elisama, Elipalet, No∣ga, Nepheg, and Iaphia, Elisama, Eliada, & Eliphelet: nyne in nombre. These are all the sonnes of Dauid, besyde the sonnes of the cō¦cubines, and Thamar was theyr syster.

Salomons sonne was Rehoboam, whose sonne was Abia: and Asa was his sonne, and Iehosaphat his sonne: whose sonne was Io∣ran: and his sonne was Ahazia, & Ioas was his sonne. Amazia his son / Azariah his son / and Iotham his sonne. Ahaz was his sonne, Hezekia his sonne, and Manasse his sonne. And Amon was his son, and Iosia was his sonne. And the sonnes of Iosiah were, the el∣dest sonne Iohanan, the seconde Iehoakim the thyrde Zedekia / and the fourth Sallu••. The sonnes of Iehoakim were, Ieconiah his son, and Zedekiah his sonne. [unspec C]

The sonnes of Ieconia: Asser and Sche∣althiel his sonne. Malchiram also and Phe∣daia, Senazer, Iecamia, Hosama and Ne∣dabia. The sonnes of Pedaia were: Zuroba bel and Simehi. The sonnes of Zurobabel. Mesulā, Hanania, and Selumith theyr sy∣ster, and Hasubah, Ohei, Berechia, Hasadi•• and Iusabhesed, fyue in nombre.

The sonnes of Hanania: Pelatia and Ie¦saia, whose sonne was Rephaah, and his son Arnan, and his sonne was Obadia, and his sonne Sechaniah. The sonne of Secaniah was Semaiah. And the sonnes of Semaiah were Hatus, Igeall, Bariah, Naariah and Saphat and Sesa, syxe. And the sonnes of Naaria were Elioenai, Hezezia and Az••i∣cam, thre. And the sonnes of Elioe∣nai were Hodaiah, Eliasib, Phe∣lea, Akub, Ioanam, Dea∣laia and Anani, Seuen. ❀

¶ The Genealogie of the sonnes of Iuda and Symeon.

CAPI. IIII.

THe sonnes of Iuda: Pharez / Hezron / [unspec A] Carim / Hur and Soball. And Reaia the sonne of Soball begat Iahath. And Iahath begai Ahumai and Lahad: and these are the kynreddes of the Zoreathetes. And of these came the father of Etam / Iez∣rael / Iisma & Iidbas: and the name of theyr syster was Hazlelpeni. Penuel was the fa∣ther of Gedor: And Eser the father of Husa: and these are the sonnes of Hur the eldest son of Ephrata the father of Bethleem. And As∣hur the Father of Thekoa had two wyues: Heleah and Naara. And Naara bare hym Ahusam, Hepher, Themni, and Hahastari: These were the sonnes of Naarah. And the sonnes of Heleah were Zareth, Iezoar, and Ethnan.

And Coz begat Anub and Zobeba, and the [unspec B] kynred of Ahathel the sonne of Harum. And Iabes was more honourable, then his bre∣thren. And his mother called his name Ia∣bes, saynge: bycause I bare hym with sorow. And Iabes called on the goddes of Israell, sayenge: If thou wylte blesse me in dede, and enlarge my coostes, and shalt let thyne hand be with me, and wylt kepe me from euyl that it hurte me not? And god graunted hym his desyre. Chelub the brother of Suah begat Mehir, whiche was the father of Esthon. And Esthon begat Bethrapha and Paseha, and Thehenna the father of the citye of Na∣has: These are the men of Recha.

The sonnes of Kenas: Othniel & Saraia. And the sonn{is} of Othniel, were Hathath. And [unspec C] Meonoth▪ begat Ophran. And Seraia begat Ioab the father of the valley of craftesmen, (so called) bycause they were craftesmen▪ And the sonnes of Caleb, the sonne of Iephune, were: Iru, Ela, and Naan. And the sonne of Ela, was Kenas. And the sonnes of Iehale∣lel were Ziph and Ziphah, Thiria and Asa∣rel. And the sonnes of Ezra: were Iether, and Mered, Epher, Ialon, Thahar, & Miriam, and Sammai, and Iisbah the father of Esthe moa. And his wyfe Iehudia bare Iered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of So¦cho, and Ieruthiel the father of Zanoah.

And these are the sonnes of Bithiah the [unspec D] doughter of Pharao, whiche Mered toke.

The sonnes of the wyfe of Hodia the syster of Naan, the father of Keilah were: Barmi, and Esthemoa the Maachathite. The son∣nes of Symon were: Amnon, and Rimna, Benhanan, and Thilon. And the sonnes of Iissi were: Zoheth and Benzoheth.

The sonnes of Selah the sonne of Iuda were: Er the father of Lecha, and Laada the Father of Maresa, and the kynreddes of the housholdes of them that wrought lynnen in the house of Asbea. And Iokim and the men of Chosebah, and Ioas & Saraph, whiche had the dominion in Moah, and Iasubi Le∣hem: These also are wordes of olde. These [unspec E] were potters, & dwelte there amonge trees & hedges, nygh vnto the kyng, bycause of his worke. The sonnes of Symeon: were Nemuel Iamin, Iarib, Zerah and Saull, whose son was Sallum, and the son of hym was Mib∣sam, and his sonne was Misma. And the son of Misma was Hamuel, and his sonne was Zachur, and the son of hym was Simei. Simei had syxtene sonnes & syxe doughters But his brethren had not many chyldrē, ney∣ther was all the kynred of them lyke to the childrē of Iuda in multitude. And they dwelt at Beerseba, Molada & at Hazar, Suall, at Bilha, at Ezem and at Tholad: at Bethuel, at Horma & at Zikiag: at Bethmarcaboth, Hazar Susim, at Bethbirei & at Saaraun.

These were theyr cityes vnto the reygne of [unspec F] Dauid. And theyr vyllages were Etan, and Ain, Rimmon, Tochen and Asan, fyue tow∣nes, And all theyr villages that were rounde aboute the same cityes vnto Baal. This is the habitacion of them & theyr genealogie. Mosobab and Iamlech, and Iosa the sonne of Amasia: and Ioel and Iehu the sonne of Iosibia, the son of Saraia, the son of Asiel: and Elioenai, & Iaakoba, Isoaia & Asaiah, Adiel, Isimiel and Benata, and Ziza the son of Schibhi, the son of Allo••, the son of Ieoaia the son of Zemri, the son of Semaia. These are famous captaynes in theyr kynreds, set∣tyng vp greatly the house of theyr fathers.

And they went to the entryng in of Gedor [unspec G] euen vnto the East syde of the valley, to seke pasture for theyr shepe. And they founde fat pasture and good, and a wyde lande, quyet & fruytefull: for they of Ham had dwelte there before. And these now afore wrytten by name came in the dayes of Hezekia kyng of Iuda, and smote the tentes of them, & the habitaci∣ons that were founde there, & destroyed them vtterlye vnto this daye, and dwelte in theyr rowmes, bycause there was pasture there for theyr shepe. And some of the chyldren of Sy∣meon wente to mount Seyr, euen fyue hun∣dred men, hauynge for theyr captaynes, Phe∣lathia, Nearia, Rephaia & Uziel the sonnes of Isi: and smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and they dwelte there vn∣to this day.

¶ The Genealdgie of Ruben and God, and o•• the halfe trybe of Manasse.

CAPI. V.

THe sonnes of Ruben the eldest sonne of [unspec A] Israell: for as moche as he was the el∣dest, and had defyled his fathers bed his byrthryght was gyuen vnto the sonnes of Ioseph the sonne of Israell. Howbeit the genealogye is not rekened after this byrth∣ryght. For Iuda, he preuayled aboue his bre¦thren, and of this trybe came the cheyfe, & the byrthryght was gyuen to Ioseph. The son∣nes then of Ruben the eldest son of Israell, were: Henoch, Phalu, Hezron and Charmi.

The sonnes of Ioel: Samaiah his son, Gog his son, and Semhi his sonne. Micah his sonne, Reaia his sonne, and Baal his son Beera his sonne: whom Thiglath Philneser kynge of Assiria caryed awaye: for he was a great lorde amonge the Rubenites. And whē his brethren in theyr kynreddes, rekened the genealogye of theyr generacions: Ieiel and Zachariah were the cheyfe.

And Bala the sonne of Azan, the sonne of [unspec B] Sema, the son of Ioel, dwelte in Aroer, and so forth vnto Nebo and Baalmeon. And east warde he enhabited vnto the entrynge in of the wyldernesse, from the ryuer Euphzates, for they had moche cattell in the lande of Gi∣lead. And in the dayes of Saul they warred with the Hagarites, which were ouerthrowē in to theyr hande. And they dwelt in theyr ten¦tes thorowout all the Eastlande of Gilgal.

And the chyldren of Gad dwelte ouer a∣gaynst them in the lande of Basan, euē vnto Salcha. And in Basan, Ioel was the cheyfest and Sapham the nexte, then Ionai and Sa¦phat. And theyr brethren of the housholde of theyr fathers, were Michaell, Meosuesam / Seba, Iorah, Iahean, Zia, Eber, seuē. These ••te the chyldren of Abihail the sonne of Huri the son of Ieroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the sonne of Iesisai, the sonne of Iahdo, the sonne of Buz. Ahi (the son of Ab∣diel, the sonne of Guni) was a captayn of the housholde of theyr fathers. And they dwelt in Gilead, in Basan, & in her townes, and in all the suburbes of Saron, & in theyr borders.

All these were rekened by kynreddes in [unspec C] the dayes of Iotham bynge of Iuda, and in the dayes of Ieroboam kyng of Israel. The sonnes of Ruben, and of Gad, and of halfe the tryhe of Manasse, were fyghtynge men, and able to beare shelde and swerde, and to shute with bowe, exercised in war, euen foure and fourtye thousande, seuen hundred and thre score, that went out to the war. And they fought with the Hagarites, with Ietur, Ne∣phis & Nodab. And they were helped agaynst them, and the Hagarites were delyuered vn∣to theyr hande, and so were al that were with them. For they cryed to God in the battayle, & he herde them, bycause they put theyr trust in hym. And they toke of theyr cattell and of theyr camels, fyftye thousande, and two hun¦dred and fyftye thousande shepe, & two thou∣sande asses, and of the soules of men, an hun¦dred thousande: and there fell many woūded bycause the war was of God. And they dwelt in theyr steades, vntyll the tyme, that they were raryed awaye.

And the chyldren of the halfe trybe of Ma¦nasse [unspec D] dwelte in the lande, from Basan vnto Baal Hermon, and Semir, and vnto mount Hermō, for they were growne to a great mul∣titude. And these were the head{is} of the house holdes of theyr fathers: Epher, & Iesi, Eliell & Azriel, Ieremia and Hodauia, & Iaohdiel, strong men and valeaunt, famous men, and heades of the housholdes of theyr fathers.

And they transgressed agaynst the God of theyr fathers, and went a horyng after the Gods of the people of the lande, whom God destroyed before them: & God styrred vp the spirite of Phul kyng of Assyria, and the spi∣rite of Thiglath Pilneser kynge of Assiria, & caried them away: euen the Rubenites, the Gaddites, and the halfe tribe of Manasse, & brought them vnto Halah, Habor, H••ra, and to the ryuer Gōzan, vnto this day.

¶ The Genealogie of the sonnes of Leui.

CAPI. VI.

THe sonnes of Leui: Gerson, Cahath, [unspec A] and Merari. The sonnes of Cahath, Amram, Izahar, Hebron, and Uziell. The Chyldren of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sonnes also of Aaron Na¦dab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

Eleazer begat Phinehes▪ Phinehes begat Abisua. Abisua begat Boki. Boki begat Uzi Uzi begat Zarahia. And Zarahia begat Me¦raioth. Meraioth begat Amaria, & Amaria begat Ahitob. Ahitob begat Zadoc, & Zadoc begat Ahimaaz. Ahimaaz begat Azaria, & A∣zaria begat Iohanam. Iohanam begat Aza∣ria, whiche ministred in the temple that Sa∣lomon buylte in Ierusalem. Azaria begat Amaria. Amaria begat Ahitob. Ahitob begat Zadoc, and Zadoc begat Sallum. Sallum begat Helkia, and Helkia begat Azaria.

Azatia begat Saraia, and Saraia be∣gat Iehozedech. And Iehozedech departed / [unspec B] when the Lorde caried away Iuda and Ieru¦salem by the hande of Nabuchodonezer.

The sonnes of Leui: Gersom, Cahath and Merari. And these be the names of the sonnes of Gersom: Libni and Simhi. And the sonnes of Cahath were: Amram / Izahar Hebron and Uziel. The sonnes of Merari: Mazli and Musi, and these are the kynreds of Leui, concernyng theyr fathers. The son of Gersom was Lobni, whose sonne was Ia¦hath, and his sonne Zemma / and his sonne Ioah, and his sonne Iddo, and his sonne Ze¦tah, and his sonne Ieathrai. The sonnes of Cahath: Aminadab and his son Korah, and his sonne Assyr, and his son Elcana, and his sonne Ebiasaph, and his sonne Assir, & Cha∣hath was his sonne, and Uriell his son, and Uzia his sonne, and Saul was his sonne.

The sonnes of Elcana: Amazai, and Ahi∣moth & Elcana. The sonnes of Elcana, Zo∣phai, whose son was Nahath, & his son Eliab & Ieroham his son, and Elcana his son, and Samuel the sonne of hym. And the sonnes of Samuel: the eldest Uasni, and Abia.

The sonnes of Merari: Mahlt, and his [unspec C] sonne Libni, and his sonne Sunhi, & his son Uza, and his sonne Simha, and his son Ha∣gaia, and his sonne Asaia.

And these be they, whom Dauid set for to singe in the house of the Lorde, after that the arke had test. And they ministred before the dwellynge place, and the Tabernacle of wyt∣nesse with syngyrige, vntyll Salomon had buylte the house of the Lorde in Ierusalem. And then they wayted on theyr offyces, accor¦dynge to the order of them. These are they that wayted with theyr chyldren, of the son∣nes of Cahath: Heman a synger, which was the sonne of Ioel, the sonne of Semuell, the sonne of Eirana, the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Elielithe sonne of Thoah, the son of Zuph, the sonne of Elcana, the son of Ma¦hath, the son of Amasai the sonne of Elcana, the sonne of Ioel, the sonne of Asaria, the son of zephania, the sonne of Thahath, the sonne of Assyr, the sonne of Ebiasaph, the sonne of Korah the son of Izahar, the son of Cahath, the sonne of Leui, the sonne of Israel.

And his brother Asaph stode on his ryght hande, and Asaph was the son of Barachia, the sonne of Simha, the sonne of Michaell, the sonne of Basaaia, the sonne of Melchia, the sonne of Atham, the son of Zarah, the son of Adaia, the son of Ethan, the son of Zima, the sonne of Sunhi, the sonne of Iahath, the sonne of Gersom, the sonne of Leui.

And theyr brethren the sonnes of Merari [unspec D] stode on the lefte hande: euen Ethan the son of kysi, the sonne of Abdi, the sonne of Ma∣luch, the son of Hasabia, the son of Amazia, the son of Helkia, the son of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Samer, the son of Mahli, the son of Musi, the son of Merari, the sonne of Leui. Theyr brethren also the Leuites were appoynted vnto all maner of seruyce of the tabernacle of the house of god. But Aaron & his sonnes burnt insence vpon the aulter of burnt offerynge, & ou the aulter of insence (& were appoynted) for all that was to do in the place most holy, and to make an attonement for them of Israel, accordyng to all that Mo¦ses the seruaunt of God had cōmaunded.

These are the sonnes of Aaron: Eleazar, whose sonne was Phinehes, and his sonne Abisua: and his son Boki, whose sonne was Uzi, and his sonne Zerahia: and the sonne of hym Merahioth, and his sonne Amaria, and the sonne of hym, Ahitob: and Zadoc his son and Ahimaaz his sonne. And these are the dwellynge places of them (thorowout theyr townes & coostes) euen of the sonnes of Aa∣ron thorowout the kynred of the Caathites, for so the lot fell for them. And they gaue vn∣to them Hebron in the lande of Iuda and the Suburbes therof rounde aboute it.

But the felde of the citye, and the villages [unspec E] perteynynge therto, they gaue to Caleb, the sonne of Iephune. And to the sonnes of Aa∣ron they gaue the cityes of refuge: euen He∣bron and Libna, with theyr suburbes: Iathir and Esthemoa with theyr suburbes: and Hi∣len with her suburbes, and Debir with her suburbes: Asan and her Suburbes, Bethse∣mes and her suburbes. And out of the trybe of Beniamin, Geba and her suburbes, Ale∣meth and her suburbes, Anathoth & her sub∣urbes, all theyr cityes thorowout theyr kyn∣reddes were. xiii. And vnto the sonnes of Ca∣hath the remenaunt of the kyn of the trybe, were cityes gyuen out of the halfe trybe of Manasse by lot: euen ten cityes. And the son∣nes of Gersom thorowout theyr kynreddes, had out of the tribe of Isarar, out of the tribe of Asser, and out of the tribe of Nephthall: & out of the trybe of Manasse in Basan, thyr∣tene cityes. And vnto the sonnes of Merari were gyuen by lot thorowout theyr kynred∣des out of the trybe of Ruben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the trybe of Zabu∣lon, twelue cityes.

And the chyldren of Israel gaue the Leui¦tes [unspec F] cityes with theyr suburbes, & that by lot, out of the trybe of the chldren of Iuda, & out of the trybe of the chyldren of Symeon, and out of the trybe of the chyldren of Beniamin the cityes whiche they called by theyr names.

And they that were of the kynreddes of the sonnes of Cahath, had cityes and theyr coost{is} out of the trybe of Ephraim. And they gaue vnto them cityes of refuge: Sichem in mount Ephraim and her suburbes, Gaser and her suburbes / Iocmeam & her suburbes / Beth∣horon and her suburbes, Aialon & her subur¦bes, Geth Rimmon and her suburbes. And out of the halfe tribe of Manasse. Aner & her suburbes. Bileam and her suburbes for the kynred of the remenaunt of the sonnes of Ca¦hath. And vnto the sonnes of Gerson were gyuen out of the kynred of the halfe tribe of Manasse: Golon in Basan and her suburbes and Astharoth and her suburbes.

Out of the trybe of Isacar, Kedes and hee [unspec G] suburbes. Dabrath and her suburbes. Ra∣moth also and her suburbes. Anem & her sub¦urbes. And out of Asser / Masal & her subur∣bes. Abdon and her suburbes. Hukok & her suburbes. Rehob and her suburbes. Out of the trybe of Nephthali, Kedes in Galilea & her suburbes. Hammon and her suburbes. Kiriathaiim and her Suburbes. And vnto the rest of the chyldren of Merari were gyuen out of the tribe of zabulon. Rimmon and her suburbes. Thabor and her suburbes. And on the other syde Iordan by Iericho, euen on the east syde of Iordan, were gyuen them out of the tribe of Ruben: Bezer in the wylder∣nesse with her suburbes: Iahzah w^t her sub∣urbes: Kedemoth w^t her suburbes. Mephath with her suburbes. Out of the trybe of Gad Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbes. Maha¦naim with her suburbes. Hesebon with her suburbes. And Iezer with her suburbes.

¶ The genealogie of Isacar, Beniamin, Neph∣thali, Manasse, Ephraim, and Asser.

CAPI. VII.

THE sonnes of Isacar: Thola, Phua, [unspec A] Iasub, Simron, foure. And the sonnes of Thola: Uzi, Rephaia / Ieriel / Iamai Iebsam and Sehmuel, whiche were heades in the housholdes of theyr fathers of Thola men of myght in theyr kynreddes: whose nombre was in the dayes of Dauid, two and twentye thousande & syxe hundred. The son∣nes of Uzi: Izrahia. The sonnes of Izrahia Michael, Obadia, Ioel, and Iesiah, fyue mē all captaynes. And with them, in theyr gene∣racions after the housholde of theyr fathers, were syxe and thyrtye thousande souldiours and valcaunt men of warre: For they had many wyues and sonnes. And theyr brethren among all the kynreddes of Isacar were va∣leaunt men of war rekened in all: foure score and seuen thousande. The sonnes of Benia∣min: Bela, Becher and Iediel: thre. The son∣nes of Bela: Ezbon / Uzi / Uziel / Ierimoth & Iri, Fyue heades of the housholde of theyr fathers, men of myght / and were rekened by the genealogies. xxii. thousande, and. xxxiiii.

The sonnes of Becher: Zemira / Ioas / [unspec B] Eliezer / Elioenai / Omri / Ieremoth / Abia / Anathoth and Alamath. Al these are the chyl¦dren of Becher, and the nombre of them after theyr genealogye and generacyons, and cap∣taynes of the housholdes of theyr fathers mē of myght, twentye thousande and two hun∣dred. The sonnes of Iediel: Bilhan. The son¦nes of Bilhan: Iues / Beniamin / Ehud and Canaana / Zethan / Tharsis and Ahilahar. All these are the sonnes of Iediell, auncient heades & men of warre. xvii. thousande and two hundred that went out harnessed to bat∣tayle. And Suppim & Hupim were the chyl∣dren of Ir. And the Husites were the chyl∣dren of Aher.

The sonnes of Nephthali: Iahzie•• / Guns [unspec C] Iezer and Salum, the chyldren of Bilha. The sonnes of Manasse: Aziel whome (his wyfe) bare vnto hym: But Aramiah his con∣cubine bare Machir the father of Gilead. And Machir toke wyues for Hupim & Sup¦pim (his sonnes.) And the name of his syster was Maaca. And the name of an other son was Zelophahad. And Zelophahad had doughters. And Maaca the wyfe of Machir bare a sonne, and called his name Pherez / & the name of his brother was Zeres / and his sonnes were Ulam & Rekem. The sonnes of Ulam / Bedan: & these are the sonn{is} of Gilead the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasse. And his syster Molecath bare Ieshud, Abie∣ser & Mahelah. And the sonnes of Semida were: Ahiam, Sechem, Likchi and Antham.

The sonnes of Ephraim: Suthalah, whose sonne was Bered, and Thahath his sonne, [unspec D] and his sonne Eladah, and Thahath his son and Sabad his son, and Suthelah his son, and Eser & Elead. And the men of Gath that were borne in that lande, slue them, bycause they were come downe to take away theyr cat¦tel. And Ephraim theyr father mourned ma∣ny a day, & his brethren came to cōforte hym.

And when he went in to his wyfe, she con∣ceyued and bare hym a son, and he called the name of it Beria, bycause it went euyll with his housholde. And his doughter was Seera which buylte Bethhoron the nether, and also the vpper, and Uzan Seera. And Raphah was his sonne: whose sonne was Reseph and Thelah, whose sonne was Thahan, and his sonne Ladan, and his sonne Amihud, and

his sonne Elisama, & his son Nun, & his son Iehosua. Theyr possessions & abhominacion was in Bethel, and the townes that longed therto, and vnto the east of Naeran, & on the west syde of Gazer with the townes therof. Sechem and the townes therof, Adaia & the townes therof, & a long by the borders of the chyldrē of Manasse, Bethsean & her townes, Thaanach & her townes, Magiddo and her townes, & Dor & her townes. In those dwelt the chyldren of Ioseph the sonne of Israel.

The sonnes of Aser: Iimna, Iesua, Isuia, & Beria, and Serah theyr syster. The sonnes of Beria: Ieber and Melchiel, whiche is the [unspec E] father of Birsaith. And Hepher begat Iaph∣let, Somer, Hotham, & Sua was theyr syster The sonnes of Iaohler: Pasah, Bimhal and Asuah. These are the chyldren of Iaphlet. The sonnes of Semer, Ahi, Rohga, Iehubba & Aram. And the sonnes of his brother Helem Zophah, Iimna, Seles and Amal.

The sonnes of Zophah, Suah, Harnephar Sual, Beri, and Iimrah, Bezer, Hod, Sāma Silsa, Iethran & Beera. The sonnes of Ie∣ther / Iephune / Pispa / & Ara. The sonnes of Ola Arch, Haniel & Rezia. All these were the chyldren of Asser, & heades of theyr fathers houses, noble men, and myghtie heade cap∣taynes. The nombre thorowout the genealo∣gye of them that were apte to the warre, and battayle was. xxvi. thousande men.

¶ Of the sonnes of Beniamin.

CAPI. VIII.

BEniamin begatte Bela his eldest sonne, [unspec A] Asbel the seconde, and Aharah the thyrd Nohah the fourth, & Raphah the fyfte. And the sonnes of Bela were: Adar, Gera, Abthud, Abisna, Naaman, and Ahoha, Gera Sephuphan and Huran. And these are the sonnes of Ehud, and these are the auncient heades among the enhabitours of Geba: and they caryed them to Manahath: Naaman, Ahia and Gera, whiche Gera caryed them a∣way and begat Uza and Ahihud. And he be∣gat Saharaim in the felde of Moab, after he had sent them away, Husim also and Baarah were his wyues. And he begat of Hodes his wyfe. Iobab and Zibia, Meza, and Malchā Ieuz, and Sachia & Mirma. These were his sonnes and auncient fathers.

And of Husim he begat Ahithob and El∣paal. [unspec B] The sonnes of Elpaal were: Eber, Mi∣saham, and Samed, which buylte Ono, Lod and the townes therof. Beria & Sema were auncient fathers among the enhabitours of Aialon, & they draue away the enhabitoures of Geth. And Ato, Sasac, & Ierimoth, Seba dia, Ared, and Adar, Michael, and Iispa, and Ioha, the sonnes of Beria, Zibadia, Mesullā Hezeki, and Heber, Ismerai also and Iessiah and Iobab the sonnes of Elpaal. Iakim, & Zieri, and Sabdi, Elienai, Zilthai, and Eliel Adata, and Beraia, and zimreth the sonnes of Simhi, Gispan, Eber, and Eliel, Abdon & zicri, and Hanan, Hanania, Elam and Antho thia, Iephdeia & Phenuel the sonnes of Sa¦sao, And Samserai, Seharia and Athaliah, Iaresia, Elia and zichri the sonnes of Iero∣ham. These were auncient fathers and cap∣taynes in theyr kynreddes, and these dwelte in Ierusalem. And at Gibeon dwelte Abi Gi¦beon whose wyfe was called Maacah. And his eldest son was Abdon, then zur, Cis, Baal and Nadab, Gedor, Ahio and zacher.

And Mikloth begat Simea. And these also [unspec C] dwelt with theyr brethren in Ierusalem ouer agaynst them. Ner begat Cis, and Cis be∣gat Saul, & Saul begat Iehonathas, Mal∣chisua, Abinadab and Esbaal. And the son of Iehonathas was Meribbaal, & Meribbaal begat Micah. And the sonnes of Micah were Puhon, Melech, Tharea, & Ahaz. And Ahaz begat Iehoiada. And Iehoiada begat Ale∣meth, Asmaueth & zihiri. Zimri begat Moza. Moza begat Binea, whose sonne was Rapha and his sonne was Elasa, and his son Azel.

And Azel had syre sonnes, whose names are these: Esricam, Bochri, Ismael, Seatia, Oba∣dia / and Hanan. All these were the sonnes of Azel. And the sōnes of Esek his brother were Ulam his eldest / Iehus the seconde / and Elf¦phelet the thyrde. And the sonnes of Ulam were myghtie men and stronge archers / and bowe men: and had many sonnes and sonnes sonnes / an hundred and fyftye. All these are of the sonnes of Beniamin.

¶ Of the preestes. Leuites, and of theyr offyces.

CAPI. IX.

ANd so all Israel nombred by kynred∣des: [unspec A] Beholde / they are wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Israel & of Iuda and were caryed away to Babilon for theyr trans¦gressyon: Euen the olde enhabitoures / than dwelte in theyr owne possessyons & cityes, the Israelites, the preestes, Leuites & Nethenei. And in Ierusalem dwelte of the chyldren of Iuda, of the chyldrē of Beniamin, and of the chyldren of Ephraim & Manasse. Uthai the sonne of Amthud, the sonne of Omri, the son of Imri, the sonne of Bent, of the chyldren of Pharez / the sonne of Iuda. And of Siloni Asaia the eldest and his sonnes.

And of the sonnes of zerah, Iebuel & theyr brethren, syxe hundred and nynetye. And of

the sonnes of Beniamin: Salu the sonne of Mesullam the sonne of Hodauia, the sonne of Senua: & Iibneia the sonne of Ieroham.

And Ela the sonne of Uzi the sonne of Mi∣chri. [unspec B] And Mesullam the sonne of Sepharia the sonne of Rehuel, the sonne of Iibnia and theyr brethren accordyng to theyr kynreddes nyne hundred fyftye and syxe. All these were principal men, and auncient in the houshol∣des of theyr fathers. And of the preestes: Ie∣daia, Iehoiarib & Iachin: Azaria the son of Helkia, the son of Mesullam, the son of Za∣doc, the sonne of Maraioth, the sonne of Ahi∣tob the cheyfest in the house of God. And A∣daiah the sonne of Ieroham, the son of Pha∣shur, the sonne of Melchia. And Maasi the sonne of Adiel, the sonne of Iehezrah, the son of Mesullam, the sonne of Mesillomith, the sonne of Immer. And theyr brethren whiche were heades of the auncient housholdes of theyr fathers, a thousand, seuen hundred and thre score actiue men, for the worke of the ser∣uyce of the house of God.

And of the Leuites: Semeia the sonne of [unspec C] Hasub, the sonne of African, the sonne of Ha∣sabia of the sonnes of Merari. And Bacba∣kar & Heres and Galal. And Mathania the sonne of Mirah, the sonne of Zicri, the son of Asaph. And Obadia the sonne Semeia, the son of Galal, the son of Iouthum. And Bere∣chia the son of Aza: the sonne of Elcana that dwelte in the villages of the Netophathites.

The porters were Sallum, Acub, Tal∣mon, & Ahiman and theyr brother, Sallum was the cheyfe. For they watched hytherto, euen vnto the kynges gate eastwarde, tho∣rowout the tentes of the chyldren of Leui.

And Sallum the son of Corah the sonne of Abiasaph the son of Corah, and his brethren the Corahites (of the house of theyr father) had theyr busynesse and offyce to kepe the por¦ches of the tabernacle: and theyr fathers the hoost of the Lorde kepte the entryng.

And Phinehes the sonne of Eleazar was [unspec D] theyr foregyde, & the Lorde was with hym. And Zacharia the sonne of Meselemia kepte the watche before the dore of the tabernacle of witnesse. All these were chosen men to kepe the threshold{is}, euen. CC. and xii. & thorowout the genealogi were they nombred in theyr vil¦lages. And them dyd Dauid & Samuel the Sear institute, bycause of theyr fidelite. So they and theyr chyldren had the ouersyght of the gates of the house of the lorde, euen of the tabernacle, to kepe them.

In. iiii. quarters dyd they kepe the watche: [unspec E] towarde the east, west, north, and south. And theyr brethren remayned in the countrey and came after. vii. dayes from tyme to tyme w^t them. For the Leuites (whiche had the ouer∣syght of the vestries & treasures of the house of God) were vnder the custody of foure no∣table porters: & they rounde about the house of God: bicause the kepyng therof perteyned to them, & they had the keyes to open euery mornyng. And certayne of them had the rule of the ministryng vessels, & brought them in & out by tale. Some of them were appoynted to ouerse the vessels, & all the ornamentes of the sanctuary, & the flour, wyne, oyle, franki•• sence & swete odours. And certayne of the son¦nes of the preestes made oyntmentes of the [unspec F] swete odours. And Mathathia one of the Le¦uites whiche was, the eldest son of Sallum: the Corathite, had the ouersyght of the thyn∣ges that were made in the fryenge pan. And other of theyr brethren the sonnes of Cahath had the ouersyght of the shewbreade whiche they prepayred euery Sabboth. These are the syngers: euen auncient fathers of the Leu•• tes, which dwelt in seperate chambres: & were fre, for they had to do both day & night. These were auncient fathers of the Leuites in theyr generacions, and dwelte at Ierusalem.

And in Gibeon dwelt Abi Gibeon & Iehiel whose wyfe was called Maacha, his eldest son was Abdon, then Zur, Cis, Baal, Ne•• & Nadab: Gedor, Ahio, Zacharia & Mikloth. And Mikloth begat Simeā. And they also [unspec G] dwelte w^t theyr brethren at Ierusalem, euen harde by them. And Ner begat Cis, & Cis begat Saul. And Saul begat Iehonathas, Malchisua, Abinadab and Esbaal. And the son of Ionathas, was Meribbaal. And Me¦ribbaal begat Micah, & the sonnes of Mirah were, Pithon, Melech & Chahrea. And Ahaz begat Iahra. Iahra begat Alameth, Asma∣neth, Zimri. Zimri begat moza. Moza begat Binea, whose son was Rephaia, & his sonne was Elasa, & his sonne Azell. And Azell had syxe sonnes, whose names are these: Azricam Bochru, Ismael, Searia, Obadia & Hanan. These are the sonnes of Azel.

¶ The battayle of Saull agaynst the Philistines: in whiche he dyeth, and his sonnes also.

CAPI. X. [unspec A]

ANd the Philistines fought agaynst Is∣rael. And the men of Israell fled be∣fore the Philistines, and were ouer∣throwen and wounded in mounte Gilboa. And the Philistines folowed, & were fearce after Saul and his sonnes, and the Philisti∣nes smote Iehonathas, and Abinadab and Malchisua the sonnes of Saul,

And the battayle went sore agaynst Saul, and the archers founde hym, & he was woun¦ded of shuters. Then sayd Saull to his wea∣pon berer drawe thy swerde, and thrust me thorowe therwith, that these vncircumcysed come not and do me shame. But his weapon berer wolde not, for he feared excedingly. So Saul caught a swerde, and fell vpon it. And when his ha••nes berer sawe that Saul was deade, he fell on a swerde also and dyed.

And thus Saul and his thre sonnes. and [unspec B] all they of his house dyed togyther. And whē all the men of Israel that were in the valley▪ sawe howe they fled, and that Saull and his sonnes were deade, they forsoke theyr cityes and ran away, and the Philistines came, and dwelte in them.

And it fortuned that on the morow (when the Philistines came to strype the deade bo∣dies) they founde Saull & his sonnes ouer∣throwen in mount Gilboe. And whē they had strypte hym, they toke his heade, and his har¦nesse, and sent them in to the lande of the Phi¦listines rounde aboute / to shewe them vnto theyr ydols, and to the people. And they put his harnesse in the house of theyr God, and set vp his heade in the temple of Dagon. [unspec C]

And when al they of Iabes in Gilead herde all that the Philistines had done to Saull: they arose (all the strongest of them) and fet away the body of Saull, and the bodyes of his sonnes, and brought them to Iabes, and buryed the bodyes of them vnder an ooke in Iabes, & fasted seuen dayes. So Saul dyed for his trespasse that he trespassed agaynst the lorde, in that he kepte not the worde of the lorde, and in that he sought and asked coun∣sayle of a womā that wrought with a spirite, and asked not of the Lorde. And therfore he slue hym, and turned the kyngdom vnto Da¦uid the sonne of Isai.

¶ After the death of Saull is Dauid anoynted in Hebron. The I••busites rebell agaynst Dauid / from whiche he ta∣keth the ••oure of Sion. His men are nombred.

CAPI. XI.

THen all Israell gathered them selues to [unspec A] Dauid vnto Hebron saynge: Behold we be thy bones & thy flesshe. And more ouer in tyme past, euen whē Saul was kyng, thou leddest Israel out and in. And the lorde thy God sayde vnto the: thou shalte fede my people Israell, and thou shalte be captayne ouer my people Israel. Therfore came al the elders of Israel to the kyng, to Hebron, and Dauid made a couenaunt with them in He∣bron, before the Lorde. And they anoynted Dauid kyng ouer Israel, accordyng to the worde of the Lorde ☞ by the hande of Sa∣muel. And Dauid and all Israel went to Ie∣rusalem, whiche is Iebus: where as were the Iebusites, the enhabitours of the lande. And the enhabitours of Iebus sayde to Dauid: thou comest not here. Neuerthelesse Dauid wan the castell of Sion, whiche is called the citye of Dauid. And Dauid sayde, who so euer smyteth the Iebusites fyrst, shall be the principall captayne and a Lorde. So Ioab the sonne of Z••ruia wente fyrst vp, and was made the cheyfe captayne. And Dauid dwelt in the castell, & therfore they called it the citye of Dauid. And he buylte the Citye on euery syde, euen from Millo rounde about, & Ioab repayred the rest of the Citye. And Dauid prospered, and waxed great, and the Lorde of hoostes was with hym. [unspec B]

These are the principall men of power, whom Dauid had, and that claue to hym in his kyngdom with all Israell, to make hym kyng, according to the word of the lorde vnto Israel. And this is the nombre of the mighty men whom Dauid had: Iasobeam the sonne of Hachmoni the cheyfe amonge thyrtye: he lyfte vp his spere agaynst thre hundred, and wounded them at one tyme. After hym was Eleazar his vncles son an Ahothyte, whiche was one of thre myghtyest. He was with Da¦uid at Pasdammin, and there the Philistines were gathered togyther to battayle. And ther was there a parcell of grounde full of barley and the people fled before the Philistines. And ☞ they stepte forth in to the myddes of the felde, and saued it, and slue the Philisti∣nes. And the lorde gaue a great victorye. [unspec C]

And the thre of the thyrtye cheyfe captay∣nes went to a rocke to Dauid in to the caue Adullam. And the hoost of the Philistines a∣bode in the valley of Rephaim. And when Da¦uid was in the holde, the Philistines watche was at Bethleē that same tyme. And Dauid longed, and sayd: Oh that one wolde gyue me drynke of the water of the well that is at the gate at Bethleem. And the thre brake tho∣rowe the hoost of the Philistines, and drewe water out of the well, that was by the ga••e at Bethleem: and toke it, & brought it to Dauid Neuerthelesse, Dauid wolde not drynke of it but rather offered it to the Lorde, and sayde: My God forbyd it me, that I shulde do this thynge. Shall I drynke the bloode of these men, that haue put theyr lyues in ieoperdye? (for with the Ieoperdye of theyr lyues they brought it) therfore he wolde not drynke it. And this dyd these thre myghtyest.

And Ab••sai the brother of Ioab: he also [unspec D] was captayne among thre: for he lyft•• vp his

speare agaynst thre hundred, and wounded them, and had a name amonge the thre: Yea amonge thre, he was more honourable then the two, for he was theyr captayne. Howbeit, he attaynted not vnto the ❀ (fyrst) thre.

Banaia the sonne of Iehoiaba (the sonne of a verye stronge man) dyd greater actes then Cabzeell, for he slue two stronge lyons of Moab, and went downe / and slue a Lyon in a pyt in tyme of snowe. And he slue an E∣gyptian, whose stature was euen fyue cuby∣tes longe, and in the Egyptians hand was a speare lyke a weauers beame. And the other went downe to hym with a waster, & plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hande, and slue hym with his owne speare.

Soch thynges dyd Banaia the sonne of Iehoiada, and had the name among the thre myghtest, and was honourable amonge thyr¦tye: [unspec E] but attayned not vnto the (fyrst) thre. And Dauid made hym of his counsayle.

The other men of armes were these: Asa∣hell the brother of Ioab, Elhanan his vncles sonne of Bethleem. Sammoth the Harodite Helez the Pelonite: Ira the sonne of I••kes the Thekoite, Abieser the Anatothite: Siba∣••ai the Husathite, Ilai the Ahohite: Maha∣rai the Nethophathite, Heled the son of Ba••¦na the Nethophatite: Ithai the sonne of Ri∣bai of Gibea that perteyneth to the chyldren of Beniamin: Benaia the Phirathonite: Hu∣••ai of the ryuers of Gaas, Abiell the Arba∣thite: Azmaneth the Baharumite, Elihaba the Saalbonite.

The sonnes of Assem the Gezonite, Iona than the sonne of Sage, an Haraite: Ahiam the sonne of Sacar the Ha••aite / Eliphal the sonne of Ur. Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahia [unspec F] the Pelonite: Hezro the Carmelite, Naari the sonne of Ezbai: Ioell the brother of Nathan: Mi••har the sonne of Hari: Zelegam the Am∣monite, Naharai a Berothite, the bearet of the harnesse of Ioab the son of Zeruia: Ira the Iithrite, and Gareb a Iethrite. Uria the Hethite, and Zahad the sonne of Ahlai: Adi∣na the sonne of Siza a Rubenite, a captayne of the Rubenites, and thyrtye with hym: Ha∣nan the Sonne of Maacah, and Iosaphat a Mithanite: Uria an Astherath••te: Sama and Iehiell the sonn{is} of Hothan an Aroerite: Ie∣diell the sonne of Zimri, and Ioha his bro∣ther an Hathizite, Eliell a Mahanyte. Ieri∣bai and Iosaia the sonnes of Elnaam / and I••hma a Moabite. Eliel and Obed, and Ia¦siell a Mesobaite.

¶ What they were that went with Dauid, when he ••led from Saull.

CAPI. XII.

THese are they that came to Dauid to [unspec A] Ziklag, whyle he yet kept hym self close bycause of Saull the sonne of Cis: and they were very stronge helpers in battayle. They were weapened with bowes, and could hurle stones with the ryght hande, and with the lefte, and shute arowes oute of a bowe, and were of Sauls brethren, euen of Benia∣min. The cheyfest were Ahiezer, and Ioas the sonnes of Simaa a Gibeonite, and Ie∣ziell and Pelet the sonnes of Asmaneth. Be∣racah and Iehu of Anathoth. And Ismaia a gilbeonite a myghtye man amonge thyrtye / and more then the thyrtye. Ieremiah, Ieha∣ziell, Iohanan, and Iosabad of Gedor. Ele••¦sai / Ierimoth Bealia Semaria, and Sea∣phatia, the Haraphites. Elcana, Iesia, Aza∣••aell, Ioezet, Iosebeā, Hakorim. Ioela and Zebadiah the sonnes of Ieroam of Gedud.

And of the Gadites there separated them [unspec B] selues, some vnto Dauid in to the holde of the wyldernes, men of myght, and men apte for warre, and coulde handle shylde & speare, whose faces were lyke the faces of Lyons, and they were as swyfte as the R••••s in the mountaynes: Ezer the fyrste, Obdia the se∣conde, and Eliab the thyrde, Masmana the fourth, Ieremia the fyfte / Atthai the syxte / Eliell the seuenth, Iohanan the eyght, Elsa∣bath the nynth, Ieremia the tenth, & Mach∣baonai the eleuenth. These were of the sonn{is} of Gad, and were captaynes ouer the men of warre, the small pursued an hundred, and the greate a thousande. These are they that went ouer Iordane in the fyrst moneth wh•••• he had fylled ouer all his bankes. And they put to flyght all them of the valleye, bothe towarde the East and West.

And there came of the Chyldren of Ben••a [unspec C] min and Iuda to the holde vnto Dauid. And Dauid went out to mete them and answered, and sayd vnto them. Yf ye be come peaceable lye vnto me, to helpe me, myne herte shall be knyt vnto you. But and yf ye come to betray me to myne aduersaryes (seynge there is no wyckednesse in myne hand{is}) the God of our fathers loke theron and rebuke it. And the spiryte came vpon Amasai, whiche was the cheyfe amonge thyrtye / and he sayde: thy••e are we Dauid, and on thy syde thou sonne of Isai: Peace / peace be vnto the / and peace be to thy helpers, for thy God is thy••e helpe. Then Dauid receyued them, and made them heades of companyes of the men of warre. [unspec D]

And there fell some of Manasse to Dauid / when he came with the Philistines agaynst

Saull to battayle, but they helped them not. For the lordes of the Philistines toke ad¦uysement, & sent hym awaye agayne saynge: he wyll fall to his mayster Saull to the ieo∣perdye of our heades. As he went to Zikleg there fel to him of Manasse: Adna, Iozadad Iediell, Michael, Iozabad, Elihu & Zilthai / heades of the thousandes that were of Ma∣nasse. And they helped Dauid agaynst the ro∣uers. For they were al myghtye men of war / and captaynes in the hoost. For at that tyme there came one or other to Dauid day by day to helpe hym: vntyl it was a great hoost, lyke the hooste of god. And this is the nombre of the cheyfe Captaynes that were prepared to battayle, and came to Dauid to Hebron, to turne the kyngdom of Saull to hym, accor∣dynge to the worde of the Lorde.

The chyldren of Iuda that bare shylde, [unspec E] and speare, were. vi. M. and eyght hundred redy prepared to the war: Of the chyldren of Symeon / men of myght to war. vii. M. and one hundred. Of the chyldren of Leui, foure thousande & syxe hundred. And Ieo••ada was the cheyfe of them of Aaron, and with hym iii. M. and seuen hundred. And Zadocke a yonge man stronge & valiaunt: and of his fa¦thers housholde. xxii. captaynes. And of the chyldren of Beniamin the brethren of Saull, iii. M. And a great parte of them dyd (vnto that tyme) folowe the house of Saull.

And the chyldren of Ephraim. xx. M. and eyght hundred myghtye men of war and fa∣mous men in the housholde of theyr fathers.

And of the halfe trybe of Manasse. xviii [unspec F] thousande, whiche were appoynted by name to come and make Dauid kynge. And of the chyldren of Isacar, which were men that had vnderstandynge in the ryght tyme, to know ❀ (hovv to cōmaunde) what Israell ought to do: The heades of them were two hundred, and al theyr brethren were at theyr wyll. And of Zabulō that went out to the battayle and proceded forth to the war, with all maner of instrumentes of war fyftie M. that were pre∣pared to the war, without any doublenesse of herte. And of Nephthali a thousande cap∣taynes, & with them (with shylde and speare) xxxvii. M. And of Dan prepared to battayle xxviii. M. and syxe hundred. And of Asse•• that went out to the war, and kepte the fore∣front of the battayle, fourtye thousande. And of the other syde Iordane of the Rubenites / and Gaddites and of the halfe trybe of Ma∣nasse, with all maner of instrumentes of war / an hundred and twentye thousande.

All these were men of warre, kepynge the [unspec G] forefront of the battayle with perfyte herte / and came to Hebron to make Dauid kynge ouer all Israell. And all the rest of Israell was of one accorde, to make Dauid kynge. And there they were with Dauid thre dayes, eatynge and drynkynge: for theyr brethren had prepared for them. Moreouer they that were nygh them, vntyll Isacar, Zabulō and Nephthali, brought bread on Asses, Camels Mules, and oxen, and meate: floure, fygges, raysyns, wyne and oyle, oxen, & shepe aboun∣dantlye. For there was ioye in Israell.

¶ The Arke is brought agayne from Kiriath Ia••i•• to Ierusalem ••z•• (otherwyse called Osa) dyeth.

CAPI. XIII.

ANd Dauid counsayled with the cap∣taynes [unspec A] of thousandes & hundreds, and with all the Lordes, and sayde vnto all the congregacyon of Israell: Yf it seme you good, and to be of the Lorde our god, we wyl take and sende vnto oure brethren that are lefte in all the lande of Israell, & with them also, to the Preestes and Leuites whiche are in theyr cytyes and suburbes, togyther them togyther vnto vs. And we wyll brynge a∣gayne the Arke of the Lorde to vs: for we re∣garded it not in the dayes of Saull. And all the congregacyon was content that he shuld do so, for the thynge semed good in the eyes of all the people.

So Dauid gathered all Israell togyther [unspec B] from ☞ Sihor in Egypt, vnto the entrynge of Hemath, to brynge the Arke of the Lorde from Kiriath Iarim. And Dauid went vp and all Israell to an hygh place towarde Ki∣riath Iarim, that was in Iuda, to fet thence the Arke of the lorde God, that dwelleth by∣twene the Cherubs: where his name is called on. And they caryed the Arke of god in a new carte out of the house of Abinadab.

And Uza and his brother gyded the carte. [unspec C] And Dauid and all Israell playde before the Arke of god with al theyr myght, with syng∣ynge, and harpes, psalte••es, & tymbrels and trompettes. And when they came vnto the thresshynge floore of Chidon, Uza put forth his hande to holde the Arke, for the Oxen ❀ (beynge a lytle vvylde) stombled. And the Lorde was wrothe with Uza, and smote hym bycause he put his hande to the Arke. And there he dyed byfore God.

And Dauid was out of quiet, bycause the [unspec D] Lorde had rent a rent in Uza, and he called the name of that place, the ••eynge of Uza vnto this daye. And Dauid was afrayde of God that daye, sayenge: howe shall I brynge the Arke of god home to me? And so Dauid

brought not the Arke home to hym to the cy∣tye of Dauid: But caryed it in to the house of Obed Edom a Gethite. And the Arke of god remayned w^t Obed Edom, euen in his house, thre monethes. And the Lorde blessed the house of Obed Edom, and all that he had.

¶ Hiram sendeth woode and workmen to Dauid, whiche hath two victoryis of the Philistines.

CAPI. XIIII.

SO Hiram the kynge of Tire sent messen∣gers [unspec A] to Dauid & tymbre of Cedar trees / with masons and carpenters, to buylde hym an house. And Dauid perceyued, that the Lorde had confyrmed hym kynge vpon Israell, and that his kyngdom was lyfte vp¦on hygh, bycause of his people Israell. And Dauid toke yet mo wyues at Ierusalem, and begat mo sonnes and doughters. These are the names of his chyldren, which were borne vnto hym at Ierusalem: Samua, Sobab / Nathan, and Salomon: Iibhar, Elisua, and Elipalet, Noga, Nepheg and Iaphia. Elisa∣ma, Beeliada, and Eliphalet.

And when the Philistines herde that Da¦uid was anoynted kynge vpon all Israel, all [unspec B] the Philistines went vp to seke Dauid. And Dauid herde of it, & went out agaynst them. And the Philistines came in, and praunsed thorowe the valley of Rephaim. And Dauid asked counsayle at god, sayenge: shall I go agaynst the Philistines, and wylte thou de∣lyuer them in to myne hande? And the Lorde sayde vnto hym: go vp, for I wyll delyuer them into thyne hande. And so they came vp to Baall Perazim, and Dauid smote them there. And Dauid sayde: God hath deuyded myne enemyes with myne hande, as a man wold deuyde water. And therfore they called the name of that place ☞ Baall Perazim.

And when they had lefte theyr Goddes [unspec C] there / Dauid gaue a cōmaundement, & they were burnt with fyre. And the Philistines came togyther agayne & russhed into the val¦ley. And Dauid asked agayne at God: And god sayde to hym: go not vp after them, but turne away frō them, that thou mayest come vpon them ouer agaynst the peertrees. And when thou hearest a sound go in the topp{is} of the peertrees, then go out to battayle: for god is gone forth before the, to smyte the hoost of the Philistines. Dauid therfore dyd as god cōmaūded hym. And they smote the hooste of the Philistines, from Gibeon to Gazer. And the fame of Dauid went out into al the land{is} and the lorde made all nacyons feare hym.

¶ The ••enites brynge the Arke agayne. Dauid daunsynge before it, is dispysed of his wyfe Michou.

CAPI. XV.

ANd Dauid made him houses in the cy∣tye [unspec A] of Dauid, & prepared a place for the Arke of God, and pytched for it a tent. Then Dauid sayde: the Arke of God ought not to be caryed but of the Leuites. For them hath the lorde chosen to beare the Arke of the lorde, & to minyster vnto hym for euer. And Dauid gathered all Israell togyther to Ieru¦salem, to fetche the Arke of the Lorde vnto his place whiche he had ordeyned for it. And Dauid brought togyther the chyldren of Aa∣ron & the Leuites. Of the sonnes of Cahath was Uriell the cheyfe, & of his brethren there were an hundred &. xx. Of the chyldren of Me¦rari: Asaia the cheyfe, & of his brethren two hundred &. xx. Of the sonn{is} of Gersom: Ioell the cheyfe, & of his brethren an hundred, and thyrtye. Of the chyldren of Elizapan: Se∣maia the cheyf, & of his brethren two hūdred.

Of the sonn{is} of Hebron: Eliel the cheyfe, [unspec B] & of his brethren. lxxx. Of the sonn{is} of Uziel: Aminadab the cheyfe, and of his brethren an hundred, &. xii. And Dauid called Zadock / & Abiathar the preestes, & the Leuites, Uziell / Asaia, Ioell, Semaia, Eliell & Aminadab▪ & sayde vnto them: ye that are the princypal fa¦thers of the Leuites, se that ye be holy with your brethren, that ye may brynge in the arke of the lord god of Israell, vnto the place that I haue prepared for it. For ☞ bycause ye were not there at the fyrst, the lorde our God made a rent amonge vs, for that we sought hym not as the fassyon ought to be. So the preest{is} & the Leuites sanctifyed them selues / to fet the Arke of the Lorde God of Israell. And the chyldrē of the Leuites bare the arke of god, vpon theyr shoulders w^t staues ther∣on, as Moses cōmaūded, accordynge to the worde of the Lorde. And Dauid spake to the cheyfe heades of the Leuites, that they shuld appoynt certayne of theyr brethren to synge with instrument{is} of Musycke, psaltries, har∣pes, and symbals: that they myght make a sound, & to synge on hygh with ioyfulnesse.

And the Leuites appoynted H••mā the son of Ioell: & (of his brethren) Asaph the son of [unspec C] Berechia. And of the sonnes of Merari and of theyr brethren: Ethan the son of C••saiah•• And with them theyr brethren of the seconde degree: Zucharia, Ben / Iaaziell, Se••••ra∣moth, Iehiell, Unni, Eliab, Benaiahu, Maa¦siah, Mathathiahu, Eliphalehu, Mikniah•• / Obed Edom, & Iaiell, porters. So Hema•• / Asaph, & Ethan the syngers made a sounde with symbals of brasse. And Zacharia, Aziel, Semeramoth, Iehiell, Unni, Eliab, Maa∣saiahu

and Banaiahu played with psaltryes on ☞ an Alamoth. Mathachtahu, Elipha∣lehu, Mikniahu, Obed Edom, Ieiell, and Azaziah playd vpon harpes an eyght aboue, with courage. And Chenamahu the cheyf of the Leuites, was mayster of the songe, for he taught other to syng, bycause he was a man of vnderstandyng. Berechia & El••ana kepte the dore of the Arke. And S••caniahu, Ieho∣saphat▪ Nethanaell, Amasai, Zacha••iahu / Bana••ahu, & Eliezer the preestes dyd blowe with trompettes before the Arke of god.

And Obed Edō, & Iehia, were kepers of the [unspec D] dore of the Arke. And the elders of Israell & the captaynes ouer thousandes, went to fet the Arke of the appoyntment of the lorde out of the house of Obed Edom with gladnesse. And when god helped the Leuites, that bare the arke of the apoyntment of the lorde, they offered seuen oxen, & seuen ramm{is}. And Da∣uid had on hym a lynnen garmente, lyke as had also all the Leuites that bare the Arke, & so had the syngers: & Chenania the ruler of the songe, with the syngers. And Dauid had vpon hym an Ephod of lynnen. And all they of Israell brought the arke of the Lordes co∣uenaunt with shoutynge, and blowynge of the shaume and trompett{is}: makyng a noyse with symbals, psaltryes, and harpes. And as the Arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde came in to the cytye of Dauid, Micholl the doughter of Saull, lokynge out at a wyn∣dowe, sawe kynge Dauid daunsyng & play∣enge, and she despysed hym in her herte.

¶ Dauid ordeyneth Asaph and his brethren to minister before the Lorde. He him selfe prayseth the Lorde god of Israel.

CAPI. XVI.

SO they brought in the Arke of god, and [unspec A] set it in the myddes of the tente that Da∣uid pytched for it. And they offered burnt sacrifyces, and peaceofferynges before God. And when Dauid had made an ende of offe∣rynge the burntofferynges, and peace offe∣rynges, he blessed the people in the name of the Lorde. And he delte to all Israell (bothe man and woman) a cracknell of breade, and a good pece of flesshe, and a flacket of wyne.

And he appoynted certayne of the Leui∣tes to minyster before the lorde, & to repeate, and to thanke, and prayse the Lorde God of Israell. And Asaph was the cheyfe, & nexte to hym Zacharia, Ieiell, Semeramoth, Ie∣hiell, Mathathia, Eliab, Benaia, Obed E∣hom, and Iehiell with psalteres & harpes.

But Asaph made a sounde with symbals. Banaiahu and Iahaziell preestes blew with trompettes continuallye before the Arke of the couenaunt of god. And that same tyme Dauid dyd appoynt cheyfelye to thanke the lorde, by Asaph and his brethren.

O gyue thank{is} vnto the lorde, cal vpon his name, make his Actes knowen amonge [unspec B] the people. Synge vnto hym, and playe vn∣to hym: talke of all his wonderfull dedes. Re¦ioyse in his holy name: let the hertes of them that seke the lorde, be glad. Seke the Lorde and his strength: Seke his presence alwaye. Remembre his maruels whiche he dyd, and his wonders, & the iudgement{is} of his mouth The seede of Israell are his seruauntes: the chyldren of Iacob are his chosen. He is the Lorde our God: in all landes are his iudge∣ment{is}. Thynke on his apoyntment for euer / (& on the worde which he cōmaunded to a. M generacyons.) Whiche he made with Abra∣ham, & of his othe to Isaac: whiche he set be∣fore Iacob for a decree, and to Israell for an euerlastynge couenaunt, sayenge: to the wyll I gyue the lande of Canaan, to be the porcy∣on of your enherytaunce▪ When ye were few and small in nombre, and soiourners therin. And they walked frō nacyon to nacyon, and from one kyndome to an other people. He suf¦fered no man to do them wronge: but rebu∣ked, euen kyng{is} for theyr sakes. Touche not myne anoynted, and do my Prophettes no harme. Synge vnto the lorde all the earth: and shew from day to day his Saluacion.

Tell of his glorye amonge the Heathen: [unspec C] his wonderfull dedes amonge all nacyons.

For greate is the Lorde, and worthy to be praysed excedyngly: he is to be feared aboue all goddes. For all the gods of the people are of no vallue: But the lorde made heuen.

Prayse and honour are in his presence▪ strength & gladnesse are in his place. Ascribe vnto the lorde ye kynreds of people, Ascrybe to the lorde, glorye and dominyō. Ascribe vn¦to the Lorde, the glorye due vnto his name: brynge sacrifyces, & come before hym, & wor∣shyp the lorde with holy honour. ☞ Let all the earth feare hym, althoughe the compasse of the earth be so stablysshed that it can not be moued: let the heuens reioyse, and let the earth be glad, & let men tell amonge the na∣cyons / that the lorde is kynge. Let the see thū¦der, and the fulnesse therof: let the feldes re∣ioyse, and all that is therin. Then shall the trees of the wood reioyse at the presēce of the lorde, bycause he cōmeth to iudge the earth.

O gyue thankes vnto the lorde, for he is good, for his mercye endureth euer: and saye ye: saue vs (o God) of our saluacyon, gather

vs togyther, and delyuer vs from amonge the Heathen, that we maye gyue thankes to thy holy name, and triumphe in the prayse of the. Blessed be the Lorde God of Israell for euer & euer, and let all the people say, Amen: and prayse the lorde.

And so, he lefte there befor•• ••he arke of the [unspec D] Lordes couenaunt, Asaph and his brethren, to ministre before the arke cōtinually, in soch thynges as were to be done daye by daye / ❀ (and that by theyr courses.) And Obed Edom, and his brethren. lxviii. and Obed Edom, the son of Ieduthun / and Hosa were appoynted to be porters. And Zadocke the preest and his brethren the preestes, were be∣fore the tabernacle of the Lorde, in the hygh place that was at Gibeon to offer burntoffe∣rynges vnto the lorde, vpon the burntoffe∣rynge aulter perpetually, in the mornynge & euenynge, accordynge to all that, whiche is wrytten in the lawe of the Lorde, whiche he cōmaunded Israel. And with them were He∣man & Ieduthun, and other that were cho∣sen (whose names were expressed) to gyue thankes to the lorde, that his mercye lasteth euer. And with them dyd Heman & Ieduthun synge with the trompettes and symbals, ma kynge a swete melody with instrumentes of Musycke, & goodly songes. And the sonnes of Ieduthun were porters. And all the peo∣ple departed, euery man to his house, & Da∣uid returned to ☞ blesse his house.

¶ Dauid is forbydden to buylde an house vnto the Lorde. Chryst so promysed vnder the fygure of Salomon.

CAPI. XVII.

ANd it fortuned that when Dauid dwelt [unspec A] in his house, he sayd to Nathā the pro∣phet: loo, I dwell in an house of Ce∣dar tree: but the Arke of the lordes couenaūt remayneth vnder curtaynes. And Nathan sayde to Dauid: do all that is in thyne herte, for god is with the. And the same nyght it for tuned that the worde of god came to Nathan saynge: go and tell Dauid my seruaunt, thus sayth the lorde, thou shalte not buylde me an house to dwell in. For I haue dwelte in no house sence the daye that I brought out the chyldren of Israell vnto this day: But haue gone from tent to tent, and from one habyta∣cyon to an other. And whersoeuer I haue walked with all Israell, spake I euer one worde to any of the iudges of Israell (whom I cōmaunded to fede my people, (sayenge: why haue ye not buylde me an house of Ce∣dar tree? Nowe therfore, thus shalte thou [unspec B] saye vnto my seruaunt Dauid: thus sayeth the Lorde of hoostes: I toke the out of the pastures when thou wentest after shepe, that thou shuldest be captayne ouer my people Is¦raell: And I haue ben with the whyther so∣euer thou hast walked, and haue weded out all thyne enemyes out of thy syght and haue made the a name, lyke the name ❀ (of one) of the greatest men that are in the earth. And I haue ordeyned a place for my people Israel, and made it fast, so that nowe they may dwel in theyr place, and moue no more: Neyther shall the chyldren of wyckednesse vexe them any more as at the begynnyng. And sence the tyme that I commaunded iudges to be ouer my people Israell, I haue subdued all thyne enemyes / & I tolde the, that the lorde wolde buylde the an house.

This also shall come to passe: when thy [unspec C] dayes be expyred, that thou must go vnto thy fathers, I wyll rayse vp thy seede after the / whiche shall be of thy sonnes, and I wyll pre¦pare for hym the kyngdome. He shall buylde me an house, and I wyll stably she his seate for euer. I wyll be his father, and he shall be my son, and I wyll not take my mercy away from hym, as I toke it away from hym that was before the. But I wyll set hym in my•• house, and in my kyngdome for euer, and his seate shall be sure for euermore. Accordynge to all these wordes, and accordyng to all this visyon dyd Nathan tell kynge Dauid.

And Dauid the kynge came and sat be∣fore the lorde, and sayd: What am I (O lorde god?) and what is myn house, that thou hast promoted me thus farre? And yet this semed lyttle in thyne eyes, O God: But thou haste also spoken of thy seruaunt{is} house for a great whyle to come: and haste loked vpon me / as vpon a man of hygh degree (O Lorde God.) [unspec D]

What shall Dauid desyre more of the, for the honoure of thy seruaunt? For thou haste knowen thy seruaunte: O Lorde for thy ser∣uauntes sake, euen accordyng to thyne owne herte, hast thou done all this magnifycence / to shew all great thyng{is}. Lorde there is none lyke the, neyther is there any God saue thou, accordyng to all that we haue herde w^t oure eares. Moreouer, what nacyon on the earth is lyke thy people Israell, to whom god hath vouchsafed to come and redeme them to be his owne people, and to make the a name of excellencie and terriblenes, with castyng out nacyons from before thy people, whom thou hast delyuered out of Egypt.

The people of Israell dydest thou make [unspec E] thyne owne people for euer, and thou Lorde becamest theyr god. Therfore now lorde / let the thynge that thou hast spoken cōcernyng

thy seruaunt and his house, be true for euer / that thou do as thou hast sayd: let it come to passe, that thy name maye be magnifyed for euer, that it may be sayd: the lorde of hoostes is the god of Israell (euen the god of Israel) and the house of Dauid thy seruaunt endu∣reth stable before the. For thou (O my God) hast tolde thy seruaunt, that thou wylt buyld hym an house. And therfore thy seruaūt hath founde in his herte to praye before the. And nowe lorde, thou arte god, and hast promised this goodnesse vnto thy seruaunt. Now ther¦fore, let it be thy pleasure to blesse the house of thy seruaunt, that it maye contynue before the for euer. For whom thou blessest (o lorde) the same is blessed for euer.

¶ The battayles of Dauid agaynst the Philistines.

CAPI. XVIII.

ANd after this it fortuned, that Dauid [unspec A] smote the Philistine, and subdued them and toke Geth & the townes that lon∣ged therto, out of the hande of the Philistin{is}. And he smote Moab, and the Moabites be∣came Dauids seruauntes, and payde hym tribute. And Dauid smote Hadadezer kynge of Zoba vnto Hanath, as he went to stablysh his dominyon by the ryuer Euphrates. And Dauid toke from hym a. M. charettes, and vu. M. horse men, and. xx. M. foremen, & la∣med all the charet horses, & reserued of them an hundred charett{is}. And when the Sirians [unspec B] of Damasco came to helpe Hadadezer kynge of Zoba, Dauid slue of the Sirians xxii. M. and Dauid subdued Siria Damasco: And the Sirians became Dauids seruauntes, & brought hym trybute. And the Lorde preser∣ued Dauid in all that he went to. And Dauid toke the Scheldes of golde that were on the seruauntes of Hadadezer, and brought them to Ierusalem. And from Tebhath and from Chun (cytyes of Hadadezer) brought Dauid excedyng moche brasse. Wher with Salomon made the brasen lauatorye, the pyllers / and the vessels of brasse.

And when Tou kynge of Hemath, herde [unspec C] howe Dauid had beaten all the strength of Hadadezer kynge of Zoba, he sent Haduram his son to kynge Dauid, to make peace with hym & to blesse hym, bycause he had fought agaynste Hadadezer, and beaten hym: (for Tou had war with Hadarezer) and (Ioram brought) all maner of Iuels of golde, syluer and brasse with him. And kynge Dauid dedy cated them vnto the Lorde, with the syluer & golde that he brought from al nacyons from Edom, from Moab, frō the chyldren of Am∣mon, from the Philistin{is}, and from Amalec. And Abisai the son of Zeruia siue of the Edo¦mites [unspec D] in the salte valley. xviii. M, and put Souldyours in Edom, and all the Edomi∣tes became Dauids seruauntes. Thus the lorde kept Dauid in all that he toke in hande And Dauid reygned ouer all Israell, & exe∣cuted iudgement & ryghteousnesse among al his people. And Ioab the son of Zaruia was ouer the hoost, & Iohosaphat the son of Ahi∣lud recorder, and sadocke the son of Ahitob, and Abimelech the Sonne of Abiathar were the preestes, and Sauesa was scrybe, and Ba¦naiahu the sonne of Iehoiada was ouer the Crethites, and the Phelethites, and the eldest sonnes of Dauid were nexte vnto the kynge.

¶ Hanon kynge of the sonnes of Ammon, do the great iniurye to the seruauntes of Dauid.

CAPI. XIX.

AFter this, it chaunced that Nahas the [unspec A] kynge of the chyldren of Ammon dyed, and his son reygned in his steade. And Dauid sayde: I wyll shewe kyndnesse vnto Hanon the sonne of Nahas, bycause his fa∣ther delte kyndly with me: And Dauid sent messengers to conforte hym ouer the death of his father. And the seruauntes of Dauid came into the lande of the Chyldren of Am∣mon to Hanō, to conforte hym. But the lord{is} of the Chyldren of Ammon sayde to Hanon: thynkest thou that Dauid doth honoure thy father in thy syght, that he hath sent confor∣ters vnto the? Are not his seruauntes come to searche, to loke, and to spye out the lande.

Wherfore Hanon toke Dauids seruaun¦tes: [unspec B] ❀ (and polde them,) and shaued them, and cut of theyr cootes herde by theyr buttoc¦kes, and sent them away. And there went cer¦tayne and tolde Dauid, howe the men were serued. And the kynge sent to mete them, (for the men were excedynglye a shamed) and the kynge sayde: Tarye at Iericho, vntyll your beerdes be growen, and then returne. And when the chyldren of Ammon sawe that they stanke in the syght of Dauid. Hanon and the chyldren of of Ammon sent a. M. talentes of syluer to hyre them charettes & horsemen, out of Mesopotamia, and out of Siria Maacha and out of Zoba. And they hyred. xxxii. M. charettes, and the kynge of Maacha and his people, which came & pytched before Meoba.

And the Chyldren of Ammon gathered [unspec C] them selues togyther from theyr cytyes, and came to battayle. And when Dauid herde of it / he sent Ioab and all the hooste of stronge men. And the chyldren of Ammon came out, and put them selues in araye to battayle be∣fore the gate of the citye. And the kynges

that were come, kepte them by them selues backe in the felde. When Ioab also saw that the fronte of the battayle was agaynst hym before, and behynde: he chose out of all the chosen men of Israell, and put them in araye agaynst the Sirians. And the rest of the peo∣ple he deliuered vnto the hande of Abisai his brother, and they put them selues in araye a∣gaynst the chyldren of Ammon. And he sayd Yf the Sirians be to stronge for me, thou shalt succoure me, and yf the chyldren of Am¦mon preuayle agaynst the, I wyll helpe the.

Plucke vp thyne herte, and let vs play the men, for our peoples sake, and for the cytyes of our god, and the lorde shall do that which is good in his owne syght. So Ioab and the people that were with hym, drue nygh before the Sirians vnto the battayle and they fled before hym.

And when the chyldren of Ammon sawe [unspec D] that the Sirians were fled, they ran awaye lykewyse before Abisai his brother, and gat them into the cytye. And Ioab came to Ie∣rusalem. And when the Sirians sawe that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers & fet out the Sirians that were beyonde the ryuer, and Sophach the captayne of the hoost of Hadadezer went be∣fore them. And it was tolde Dauid and he ga¦thered all Israell, and went togyther ouer Iordane, and came, and set vpon them. And when Dauid had put hym selfe in araye a∣gaynst the Sirians they fought with hym. But the Sirians fled before Israell. And Da∣uid destroyed of the Sirians. vii. M. charet∣tes, and. xl. M. foote men, & kylled Sophach the captayne of the hooste. And when the ser∣uauntes of Hadadezer, sawe, that they were put to the worse before them of Israell, they made peace with Dauid, and became his ser∣uauntes. Neyther wolde the Sirians helpe the chyldren of Ammon any more.

¶ The thre moost victoryous battayle•• of Dauid.

CAPI. XX.

ANd it came to passe, that after the yeare [unspec A] was expyred ( aboute the tyme that kynges go out a warre fare. (Ioab ca∣ryed out the armye of the hoost, & destroyed the countrey of the chyldren of Ammon, and came, and beseyged Rabha, and dystroyed it: But Dauid taryed at Ierusalem whyle Io∣ab smote Rabha and destroyed it: And Da¦uid toke the crowne of theyr kynge, from of his heade: and founde that it had the weyght of a talent of golde, and there were precyous stones in it, and it was ordeyned for Dauids heade. And he brought also excedynge moche spoyle out of the city. And he brought out the [unspec B] people that were in it, & tormēted them with sawes & harowes of yron, & with other sharp instrumentes, and so delte Dauid with al the cytyes of the chyldren of Ammō. And & ••••uid & all the people came agayne to Ierusalem. After this, it fortuned, that there arose war at Gazer with the philystines. At which tyme Sobocai the Husathite siue Sippa••, that was of the chyldrē of Rephaim, & they were subdued. And there was battayle agayne w^t the Philistines, & Elhanan the son of Iair / slue Lahemi the brother of Goliath the Ge∣thite, [unspec C] whose spere was lyke a weauers beame And there chaūced yet agayne war at Geth / where as was a man of a great stature, with xxiiii. fyngers and toos, syxe on euery hande and syxe on euery foote, and was the son of Raphath. But when he defyed Israell, Ieho¦nathan the son of Simea Dauids brother slue hym. These were borne vnto Raphah at Geth, and were ouerthrowen in the hande of Dauid, and in the hande of his seruauntes.

Dauid causeth the people to be nombred•• and the•••• dyeth. lxx. thousand men of the Pestylence.

CAPI. XXI.

ANd Satan stode vp agaynst Israell, & prouoked Dauid to nombre Israell. [unspec A] And Dauid sayde to Ioab & to the ru∣lers of the people. Go ye and nombre Israel from Beer Seba to Dan, and bryng it to me that I may know the nombre of them. And Ioab answered: the lorde make his peple an hundred tymes so many mo as they be. But my lorde O kynge, are they not all my lordes seruaūtes? why then doth my Lorde requyre this thynge? why wyll my lorde be a cause of trespasse to Israell? Neuerthelesse, the kyng{is} worde preuayled agaynst Ioab. And Ioab departed & walked thorowout all them of Is¦rael, & came to Ierusalem agayne & gaue the nombre of the counte of the people vnto Da∣uid. And all they of Israell were a thousand thousande, & an hundred thousand men that drue swerde: and Iuda was. CCCC.lxx. M men that drue swerde. But the Leuites and Beniamin coūted he not amonge them. For the kyng{is} worde was abhomynable to Ioab And the lorde was dyspleased w^t this thyng / and smote Israell. And Dauid sayde vnto god: I haue synned excedynglye in doynge this thynge. And nowe (I beseche the) do a∣〈…〉〈…〉 the wyckednesse of thy seruaunt for I 〈…〉〈…〉 done very foolyshlye.

And the Lorde spake vnto Gad Dauids [unspec B] seat, sayenge: go and tell Dauid, sayenge: Thus sayeth the lorde: I gyue the, the thoyse

of thre thynges: chose the one of them, that I maye do vnto the. And Gad came to Dauid, and sayde vnto hym: Thus sayeth the lorde. Chose the, eyther thre yeares famyshment, or thre monethes to be destroyed before thyne aduersaryes, & that the swerde of thyne ene∣myes maye ouertake the: or els the swerde of the lorde & pestilence in the lande thre dayes, and the angell of the Lorde destroyenge tho∣rowout all the coostes of Israell. And nowe aduyse thy selfe, what worde I shall brynge agayne to him that sent me. And Dauid sayd vnto Gad: I am in an excedynge strayte: let me fall nowe into the hande of the lorde, for passynge greate are his mercyes, but let me not fall into the hande of men. So the Lorde sent pestylence vpon Israell, and there were ouerthrowen of Israel lxx. M. men. And god sent the angel into Ierusalem to destroy it.

And as he was aboute to destroy, the lorde [unspec C] behelde, & had cōpassyon on the wretchednes and sayde to the Angell that destoyed: it is ynough, let now thyne hande cease. And the angell of the Lorde stode by the thresshynge floure of Ornan the Iebusyte. And Dauid lyfte vp his eyes, and sawe the Angell of the lorde stande bytwene the earth and heuen / hauynge a drawen swerde in his hand, stret∣ched out towarde Ierusalem. Then Dauid and the Elders of Israell whiche were clo∣thed in sacke, fell vpon theyr faces. And Da∣uid sayde vnto God: Is it not I that com∣maunded the people to be nombred? It is I that haue synned and done euyll indede, and what haue these shepe done? let thyne hande (O lorde my god) be on me & on my fathers house, but not on thy people that they shulde be punyshed. And the angel of the lorde com¦maunded Gad to saye to Dauid, that Dauid shulde go vp, and set vp an aulter vnto the Lorde, in the thresshyng floure of Ornan the Iebusyte. And Dauid went vp accordynge to the sayenge of Gad, which he spake in the name of the lord. And Ornan turned about / and sawe the Angell, and his foure sonnes were with hym: & hyd them selues: But Or∣nan was thresshynge wheat, and as Dauid came to Ornan, Ornan loked and sawe Da∣uid, and went out of the thresshynge floure / and bowed hym selfe to Dauid with his face to the grounde. And Dauid sayde to Ornan: gyue me the place of the thresshynge floure, that I may buylde an aulter therin vnto 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lorde. Thou shalte gyue it me for as moche money as it is worthe, that the plage maye cease from the people.

And Ornan sayde vnto Dauid: take it to [unspec D] the, and let my lorde the kynge do that which semeth good in his eyes: loo, I gyue the ox∣en also for burntsacrifyces, & the thresshynge sleddes for wood, and wheate for meatoffe∣rynge: I gyue it all. And kynge Dauid sayd to Ornā: not so, but I wyll bye it for asmoch money as it is worth. For I wyll not take that whiche is thyne for the Lorde, nor offer burntofferynges without cost. And so Da∣uid gaue to Ornan for that place, sycles of golde. vt. hundred by weyght. And Dauid buylte there an aulter vnto the Lorde, and offered burntofferynges, and peaceofferyng{is} and called vpon the lorde, and he herde hym from heuen in fyre vpon the aulter of burnt∣offerynge. And when the lorde had spoken to the angell, he put his swerde agayne into the shethe of it. At that tyme when Dauid sawe / that the Lorde had herde hym in the thres∣shyng floure of Ornan the Iebusite: he vsed to offer there. For the tabernacle of the lorde whiche Moses made in the wyldernesse / and the aulter of burntofferyng were at that rea∣son in the hyll at Gibeon. And Dauid coulde not go before it to aske coūsayle at god, for he was aferde of the swerde of the angell of the Lorde.

¶ Dauid wylleth his sonne Salomon to buyld the temple of the lorde, which thynge he hym selfe was forbyden to do.

CAPI. XXII.

ANd Dauid sayd, this is the house of the [unspec A] lorde god, and this is the aulter for the burntofferynge of Israell. And Dauid cōmaunded to gather togyther the straun∣gers that were in the lande of Israell, and he set masons to hewe free stoone, for the buyl∣dynge of the house of god. And Dauid prepa∣red plentye of yron for nayles and dores of the gates, and to ioyne with all, and aboun∣dance of brasse without weyght, and Cedar trees without nombre. For the Zidons and they of Tyre brought moche Cedar wood to Dauid. And Dauid sayd: Salomon my son is yonge & tender, and the house that is to be buylte for the lorde, must excede in greatnesse that it may be spoken of & praysed in al land{is}

I wyl therfore make ordynaūce for it. And [unspec B] so Dauid prepared many thyng{is} before his death. And he called Salomon his son, and charged hym to buylde an house for the lorde god of Israell: And Dauid sayde to Salo∣mon: My sonne, I thought (as it was in myne herte) to buylde an house vnto the name of the lorde my god. But the worde of the lorde came to me, sayenge: thou hast shed moch blood, and hast ma•••• great battayles: Thou shalt therfore not buyld an house vn∣to

my name, for thou hast shed moche bloode vpon the earth in my syght. Beholde, a sonne is borne the, and he shall be a man of rest, for I wyll gyue hym rest from all his enemyes rounde aboute: For his name is ☞ Salo∣mon: and I wyll sende rest and peace vpon Israell in his dayes.

He shall buylde an house for my name, & [unspec C] he shalbe my sonne, and I wyl be his father, and wyll prepare the seate of his kyngdome vpon Israel for euer. Now therfore my son, the lorde be with the, and prospere thou, and buylde the house to the name of the lorde thy God, as he hath sayde of the. And the Lorde shall gyue the wysdome and vnderstandyng and shall gyue the cōmaundementes for Is∣rael, that ye may kepe the lawe of the Lorde thy God. For then thou shalte prospere: euen when thou takest hede and fulfyllest the sta∣tutes and lawes, whiche the Lorde charged Moses with, for Israell. Plucke vp thyne herte therfore, and be stronge, dreade not, nor be discouraged. Beholde, in myne aduersite haue I also prepared for the house of the lord an hundred thousande talentes of golde, & a thousande thousande talentes of syluer, and as for brasse and yron it can not be nombred, for it is very moche. And I haue prepared tymbre and stone, and thou mayste prouyde more therto. Moreouer, thou hast workemen [unspec D] with the ynowe, and masons and carpenters to worke in stone and tymbre, and many men that be actiue for euery worke. And of golde, syluer, brasse and yron, there is no nombre. Up therfore, and be doynge, and the Lorde shall be with the. And Dauid cōmaunded all the lordes of Israell, to helpe Salomon his sonne, sayenge. Is not the Lorde your God with you? and hath he not gyuen you rest on euery syde? For he hath gyuen the enheritou¦res of the lande in to myne hande, & the lande is subdued before the Lorde / and before his people. Nowe therfore set your hertes, and your soules, to seke the lorde your God: Up, and buylde ye the temple of the Lorde god, to brynge the arke of the couenaunt of the lorde and the holy vessels of god in to the house so buylte for the name of the Lorde.

¶ Dauid beynge olde ordeneth Salomon kynge. He causeth the Leuyit•• to be nombred, & assygneth them to theyr offices.

CAPI. XXIII.

SO when Dauid was olde & full of dayes [unspec A] he made Salomon his son kynge ouer Israell. And then he gathered togyther all the lordes of Israel with the preestes and the Leuites. And the Leuites were nombred frō the age of. xxx. yere and aboue, and the nom∣bre & summe of them was. xxxviii. thousande men. Of whiche. xxiiit. thousande were set to forther the worke of the house of the Lorde. And syxe thousande were offycers and Iud∣ges. Foure thousande were porters, & foure thousand praysed the lorde with suche instru¦mentes as was ☞ made to prayse withall. And so Dauid put an ordre among the chyl∣dren of Leui: Gerson, Cahath & Merari: Of the Gersonites was Laadan & Semei. The sonnes of Laadan: the cheyfe was Iehiel, Ze¦than and Ioel, thre. The sonnes of Semei: Selomith, Haziel, & Haran, thre. These were the auncient fathers of Laadan.

And the sonnes of Semei were / Iahath, [unspec B] Zina, Ieus and Beria: These foure were the sonnes of Semei. And Iahath was the cheyfe Zina he seconde. But Ieus and Beria had not many sonnes, therfore they were in one rekenynge, accordyng to theyr fathers house¦holde rekened for one auncient housholde. The sonnes of Cahath: Amram, Izahar, He∣bron and Uziel. foure. The sonnes of Am∣ram: Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was se∣parated, to haue the rule of the holy thynges in the place most holy, he and his sonnes for euer: and to burne insence before the Lorde, and to ministre vnto him, and to blesse in his name for euer. Moses also the man of God, and his chyldren, were named with the tribe of Leui. The sonnes of Moses: Gerson and Eliezer. Of the sonnes of Gerson: S••buell was the cheyfe. The sonnes of Eliezer: Reha¦bia the cheyfe. And Eliezer had none other sonnes: But the sōnes of Rehabia were very many. The sonnes of Izahar, Salomith, the theyfe. The sonnes of Hebron: Ieriahu the fyrst. Amaria the seconde, Iahaziel the thyrd and Iecameam the fourth.

The sonn{is} of Uziel: Micha the fyrst, & Iesia [unspec C] the seconde. The sonnes of Merari: Mahli and Musi. The sonnes of Mahli: Eleazar & Cis. And Eleazar dyed, & had no sonnes, but doughters, and theyr brethren the sonnes of Cis toke them. The sonnes of Musi: Mahlt, Eder, & Ieremoth, iii. These are the chyldren of Leui after the housholde of theyr fathers, euen the auncient of the fathers / accordynge to theyr offyces, & after the nombre & sūme of the names of them that dyd the worke in the seruice of the house of the lorde frō the age of xx. yeres & aboue. And Dauid sayd: the Lorde god of Israel hath gyuen rest vnto his peple that they may dwell in Ierusalē for euer, that the Leuites also shulde nowe nomore beare the tabernacle & all the vessels for the seruyce therof: for accordyng to the last word{is} of Da∣uid,

the Leuites were nombred from twentye [unspec D] yere and aboue, and theyr offyce was vnder the hande of the sonnes of Aaron, for the ser∣uyce of the house of the Lorde, in the courtes and celles, and in the purifyenge of all holy¦thyng{is}, and in the worke of the seruyce of the house of God. In the shewebread in the fyne floure, in the meateofferyng, in the wafers of swetebread, in the fryeng pan: in the gyrdyrō and in all maner of measures, and cyse, and to stand euery day in the mornyng, to thanke and prayse the lorde, and so lykewyse at euen, and to offre al burnt sacrifices vnto the lorde in the Sabbothes, in the newe moones, and on the feastful dayes by nombre and custome continually (as they were cōmaunded) before the Lorde. And that they shulde wayte on the tabernacle of wytnesse, and on the holy place and on the sonnes of Aaron theyr brethren, in the seruyce of the house of the Lorde.

¶ Dauid assygneth offyces to the sonnes of Aaron.

CAPI XXIIII.

THese are the deuisions of the sonnes of [unspec A] Aaron: The sonnes of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. Nadab also and Abihu dyed before theyr father, and had no Chyldren: But Eleazar, and Itha∣mar executed the preestes offyce. And Dauid ordred them on this maner: Sadocke of the sonnes of Eleazar, & Ahimelek of the sonnes of Ithamar accordynge to theyr offyces in theyr ministracion. And there were mo aunci¦ent men found among thosonnes of Eleazar then the sonnes of Ithamar. And thus were they ordred togyther: Among the sonnes of Eliazar there were syxtene rulers, accordyng to the housholde of theyr fathers: and ryght among the sonnes of Ithamar accordyng to the houshold of theyr fathers. And thus were they put in order by lot, the one sorte from the other, & so were there rulers in the Sanctuary and lordes before God, as well of the sonnes of Ithamar as of the sonnes of Eleazar.

And Semeia the sonne of Nathaneel the [unspec B] scri•••••••• the kynred of the Leuit{is} wrote them bef•••••• kynge and the Lordes, and before Sadok the preest and Ahimelek the sonne of Abiathar, and before the auncient fathers, before the preestes and the Leuites: one prin∣cipall housholde beyng reserued for Eleazar and one for Ithamar. And the fyrst lot fell to Iehoiarib, and the seconde to Iedaia. The thyrde to Harim, and the fourth to Sehorim. The fyfte to Melchia, and the syxte to Mia∣min, The seuenth to Hakos, and the eyght to Abia. The nynth to Iesua: and the tenth to Secan••ahu: the eleuenth to Eliasib: And the twelfth to Iakim: The thyrtenth to Hupa: The fourtenth to Iesebeab. The fyftenth to [unspec C] Bisga, and the syxtenth to Immer. The se∣uententh to Hezir, and the eyghtenth to Hap∣zez. The nyntenth to Pathahia, and the twen¦tieth to Ieheskell. The. xxi. to Iachim. & the xxii. to Gamul. The. xxiii. to Delaiahu, and the. xxiiii. to Maasiahu. These are the ordi∣naunces of them in theyr offyces when they came in to the house of the Lorde, accordyng to theyr maner vnder Aaron theyr Father, as the lorde God of Israel had cōmaūded hym.

The rest of the sonnes of Leui, are these: of the sonnes of Amram, Subael. Of the son∣nes of Suhael, Iehediahu. Of the sonnes of Rehabia, the fyrst Iesia. Of the Iezeharites Selomoth. Of the sonnes also of Selomoth, Iahath. The sonnes of Iariahu: Amariahu the seconde, Iahaziel the thyrde, & Iekameā the fourth. Of the sonnes of Usiel, Micha. Of the sonnes of Micha, Samir. The bro∣ther [unspec D] of Micha was Iisia. Of the sonnes also of Iisia Zechariahu. The sonnes of Merari were Mahil & Musi. The sonnes of Iaazia∣hu, Beno. The sonnes of Merati by Iahazia¦hu. Beno, Sohem, Zacur and Ibri. Of Ma¦heli came Eleazar & he had no sonnes. Of his the sonnes of Kis: Iera hemeel. The sonnes of Mus••: Mahli, Eder and Ierimoth. These are the chyldrē of the Leuites after the hous∣holde of theyr fathers. And these cast lottes nexte to theyr brethren the sonnes of Aaron, in the presence of Dauid the kyng, and Sa∣dok and Ahimelek and the auncient fathers, preestes, and Leuites: euen the principall fa∣thers before theyr yonger brethren: ❀ (the lot made equall distributyon amonge them all.)

¶ The syngers are appoynted, with theyr place•• and lo••••••.

CAPI. XXV.

ANd so Dauid and the captaynes of the [unspec A] hoost appoynted out to do seruyce, the sonnes of Asaph, Heman & Ieduthun, when they dyd prophesie with harpes, phal∣tres and Symballes. And there was a mul∣titude of the men that were appoynted to the seruyce and ministracyon. Of the sonnes of Asaph: Zaccur: Ioseph, Nathania and Ase∣rela that wayted on Asaph, whiche prophe∣syed by the kyng.

Of Ieduthun: the sonnes of Ieduthun: Gedeliahu, Zeri, Iesaiahu, Hasabiahu, and Mathithiahu. vi. vnder the handes of theyr father Ieduthun, which prophesyed with an harpe, for to gyue thank{is} & prayses vnto the lorde, Of Hemā the sonnes of Hemā. Bukia hu, Mathaniahu, Uziel, Zebuel, Ierimoth, Hanania, Hanani, Eliatha, Gedalthi, Ro∣manthi

Ezer, Iosbekasa, Malothy, Hothir, [unspec B] and Mahazioth. All these were the sonnes of Heman whiche was the kynges Sear in the wordes of god ☞ to lyfte vp the horne. And god gaue to Heman. xliii. sonnes &. iii. dough¦ters. All these also were at the hande of theyr father syngyng in the house of the lorde with symbals, Psaltres & harpes, when Asaph, Ie¦duthum and Heman executed the seruyce in the house of God, at the kynges hande. And the multitude of them with theyr brethrē that were instructe in the songes of the lorde, euen al that were connyng, were two hundred. ••••ii. score & eyght. And they cast lottes amonge them selues (howe they shulde wayte) as wel for the small as for the great, for the scoler as well as for the scole mayster.

And the fyrst lot in ☞ Asaph fel to Ioseph. The seconde to Gedeliahu (with his brethrē [unspec C] & sonnes) which men were twelue. The thyrd fel to Zaccur with his sonnes & brethren, be∣ynge twelue persones. The fourth to Izri w^t his sonnes and brethren, twelue persones. The fyfte to Nathantahu with his sonnes & brethren, twelue persones. The syxte to Bu∣kiahu with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persones. The seuenth to Iesarela with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persones. The eyght to Iesaiahu with his sonnes and bre∣thren, twelue persones. The nynth to Ma∣thaniahu with his sonnes & brethren, twelue persones. The tenth to Simei with his son∣nes and brethren, twelue persones. The ele∣uenth to Azarael with his sonnes & brethren, twelue persones.

The twelfth to Hasabia with his sonnes [unspec D] and brethren, twelue persones. The thyrtenth to Subael with his sonnes & brethren twelue persones. The fourtenth to Mathathiahu with his sonnes and brethren, twelue perso∣nes. The fyftenth to Ieremoth with his son∣nes & brethren, twelue persones. The sixtenth to Hananiahu with his sonnes and brethren twelue persones. The seuententh to Iosbeka¦sa with his sonnes and brethren, twelue per∣sones. The eyghtenth to Hanani with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persones. The nynetenth to Malothi with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persones. The twentyeth to Eliathath with his sonnes & brethren, twelue persones. The xxi. to Hothir with his sonnes & brethren, twelue persones. The. xxii. to Gi∣dalthi with his sonnes and brethren, twelue persones. The. xxiii. to Mahazioth with his sonnes & brethrē, twelue persones. The. xxiiii to Romanthi Azer with his sonnes and bre∣thren, twelue persones.

¶ The porters of the Temple are ordeyned, euery man to the gate which he shulde ••••ep••.

CAPI. XXVI.

THese are the deuisions of the porters, [unspec A] Amonge the Corehites: Meselemiahu the son of Kore of the chyldren of Asaph And the sonnes of Meselemiahu were these: Zachariahu the eldest, Ied••hell the seconde, Zebadiahu the thyrde, & Iath••••el the fourth Elam the fyfth, Iehohanā the syxte, & Elioe∣nai the seuenth. The sonnes of Obed Edom Semeia the eldest, Iehosabad the seconde, Io¦ah the thyrd, Sacar the fourth, & Nethanael the fyfth, Am••el the syxt, Isachar the seuenth Peulthia the. viii. for God blessed hym. And vnto Semeia his sonne were sonnes borne, that ruled in the house of theyr father, for they were men of myght. The sonnes of Semeia Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad and his brethren were stronge men: Elihu and Sa∣mahiahu. All these were of the chyldren of Obed Edom, they and theyr chyldren, & theyr brethren, actiue men and of strength to do ser¦uyce, euen. lxii. of Obed Edom. And Meleni∣ah had sonnes & brethren, actiue men, xviii.

The sonnes of Hosa of the chyldrē of Me¦rari: [unspec B] Simri the cheyfe, & though he was not the eldest, yet his father se•• hym in the chefest place. Helkiahu the seconde, T••baliahu the thyrde, and Zechariahu the fourth: at the son¦nes and brethren of Hosa were. xiii. Amonge these was deuided the office of the portership that they shulde be auncient men, to wayte with his brethren, when they ministred in the house of the Lorde. And they cast lottes by∣twene the great and small after the houshold of theyr fathers, for euery gate. And the lot on the east syde fell vpon Selemeiahu. And for Zachariahu his sonne (which was a wyse counsaylour) they cast lottes, & his lot came out towarde the North. And Obed Edoms lot fell to the South. And for his sonnes fell to the houses of Asuppim. For Suphim and Hosa towarde the west, w^t the gate that stan∣deth towarde the hygher way: one ••a••••••e be∣ynge ouer agaynst an other. Towa•••••• ••here the way assendeth vpwarde, the one way be∣ynge fast by the other. In the East were syxe Leuites: & towarde the North. iiii. a day: to∣warde [unspec C] the South. iiii. a day, & towarde Asup¦pim, two and two. In Pharbai towarde the west: two at the goynge vp, and two in Phar¦bar. These are the deuisions of the porters a∣mong the sonnes of Kore, & among the sonn{is} of Merari. And of the Leuit{is}, Ahiah had the ouersyght of the treasure of the house of god and of the treasure of the dedicate thynges.

As concernyng the sonnes of Laadā which were the chyldrē of the Gersonites. Of Laa∣dan came auncient fathers, Euen of Laadā there came Gersuni and Iehieli. The sonnes of Iehieli: Zethan & Ioel his brother, which were ouer the treasures of the house of the Lorde. Of the Amramites also and Izahari∣tes, Hebronites and Ozielites, was Subuel the son of Gerson, the son of Moses, a ruler ouer the treasures. And of his brethren the sonnes of Eliezer, was Rahabiahu, whose sonne was Isaiahu, whose son was Ioram, whose sonne was Zichri, whose son was Se∣lomith, which Selomith & his brethren were ouer all the treasures of the ☞ dedicate thin¦ges, whiche Dauid the kynge, and the aun∣cient fathers, the captaynes ouer thousand{is} and hundredes, & the captaynes of the hoost had dedicated out of the spoyles won in bat∣tayls: they dyd dedicate them to maynteyne the house of the Lorde: and all that Samuel the Sear, & Saule the son of Cis, and Abner the sonne of Ner, and Ioab the sonne of Zer∣uia [unspec D] had dedicated (and who soeuer had dedi∣cated any thyng) it was vnder the hande of Selomith and his brethren.

Of the Izaharites was Chenaniahu and his sonnes, appoynted to the busynesse with∣out forth ouer Israell: for they were offycers and Iudges. And of the Hebronites Hasabi∣ahu and his brethren, men of actiuite a thou∣sande & seuen hundred, were offycers among them of Israel beyonde Iordan westwarde, in all busynesse belongynge to God, and ser∣uyce of the kynge. Amonge the Hebronites was Iedia the cheyfest, euen a prynce among the Hebronites and fathers of his kynred.

And in the fourtie yere of the kyngdome of Dauid, they were sought for. And there were founde amonge them men of actiuite at Ia∣zer in Gilead. And his brethren were men of actiuite, euen two thousande and seuen hun∣dred auncient fathers, whom kynge Dauid made rulers ouer the Rubenites, Gaddites, and ouer the halfe tribe of Manasse, for euery matter perteynynge to God, and for the kyn∣ges busynesse.

¶ Of the prynces & rulers that minystred vnto the kynge.

CAPI. XXVII.

THe chyldren of Israel: after the nombre [unspec A] of them, the auncient heades and cap∣taynes of thousandes and hundredes, and theyr officers that serued the kynge by dyuerse courses whiche came in, and wente out, moneth by moueth, thorowout al the mo¦nethes of the yere. And in euery course were xxiiii. thousand. Ouer the fyrst course for the fyrst moneth, was Iasoboam the sonne of Zabdtel. And in his course were. xxiiii. thou∣sande. And the cheyfest of all the captaynes of the hoost for the fyrst moneth, was of the chyldren of Pharez. Ouer the course of the seconde moneth was Dodai an Ahohite, and in his course was Mikloth a ruler: And in that course were. xxiiii. thousand. The cheyfe captayne of the thyrde hooste for the thyrde moneth, was Banaiahu the son of Iehoiada the hygh preest. And in his course were. xxiiii thousande. This is that Banaiahu, whiche was most myghty amonge. xxx. & aboue. xxx. And in his parte was Amizadad his sonne.

The fourth captayne for the fourth mo∣neth, [unspec B] was Asael the brother of Ioab, and Za∣badia his sonne after hym. And in his course were. xxiiii. thousand. The fyfte captayne for the fyfte moneth was Samhut the Iezrahite & in his course were. xxiiii. thousande. The syxte captayne for the syxte moneth was Ira the sonne of Ickes a Theckuite: and in his course were. xxiiii. thousande. The seuenth captayne for the seuenth moneth, was Helez the Pelonite, of the chyldren of Ephraim: & in his course were. xxiiii. thousand. The. viii. captayne for the eyght moneth, was Sibe∣chei an Husathite of the kynred of Zarhi: & in his course were. xxiiii. thousand. The ninth captayne for the nynth moneth, was Abiezer an Anathothite of the sonnes of Iemini: and in his course were. xxiiii. thousand. The tenth captayne for the tenth moneth, was Mahari the Netophathite of the zarahites: and in his course were, xxiiii. thousande. The eleuenth for the eleuenth moneth, was Banaia the Pi¦rathonite of the chyldren of Ephraim: and in his course were. xxiiii. thousand. The twelfth captayne for the twelfth moneth, was Heldia the Netophathite with Othoniel, and in his course were. xxiiii. thousande.

And the rulers ouer the tribes of Israell [unspec C] were these: Among the Rubinites, was Elie∣zer the son of Zichri. Among the Simonites also was Saphatiahu the son of Maacha. Among the Leuites: Hazabia the son of Ke∣muel. Among the Haromites zadocke. Amōg them of Iuda: Elihu of the brethrē of Dauid Among thē of Isachar, Omri the son of Mi¦chael. Among them of Zabulon Iesmaiahu the son of Obadiahu. Among them of Neph∣thali: Ierimoth the son of Azriel. Among the childrē of ephraim: Hosea the son of Azariahu In the halfe tribe also of Manasse. Ioel the son of Phedaiahu. Of the halfe tribe of Ma¦nasse in Gilead: Iido the son of Zachariahu. Among them of Beniamin: Iaasiel the son

of Abner. Amonge them of Dan: Azarel the son of Ieroham. These are the lordes of the trybes of Israell. But Dauid toke not the nombre of them vnder. xx. yere: bycause the Lorde sayde he wolde encrease Israell lyke vnto the sterres of the skye. And Iaob the sonne of Zeruia began to nombre: but he fy∣nysshed it not, bycause that there fell wrathe for it agaynst Israel: neyther was the nom∣bre put in to the Cronicles of kyng Dauid.

Ouer the kyng{is} treasures was Azmaueth [unspec D] the sonne of Adiel. And ouer the treasures of the feldes, in the cities and villages & castels was Iehonathan, the sonne of Uziahu. And ouer the workemen in the feldes that tylled the grounde, was Ezri the sonne of Chelub.

And the ouersyght of the vyneyardes had Semei the Ramathite. Ouer the encreace also of the vyneyardes, and ouer the wynesel¦lers was Sabdi the Hasiphunite. And ouer the oliue trees, and mulbery trees that were in the valleys, was Baal Hanan the Gede∣rite. And ouer the treasure of oyle, was Ioas Ouer the oxen that fed in Saron, was Se∣tari the Saronite. And ouer the Oxen that were in the valleys was Saphat the sonne of Adlai. Ouer the camels, Obel the Ismae∣lyte. And ouer the asses was Iohadiahu the Meronothite. Ouer the shepe, was Iazis the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the sub¦staunce of kynge Dauid. And Iehonathan Dauids uncle, a mā of counsayle, and of vn∣derstandyng was a scribe, and Iehiel the son of Hachmoni ☞ was with the kynges son∣nes. And Ahitophel was of the kynges coun∣sayle. And Husai the Arachite was the kyn∣ges companion. And nexte to Ahitophel was Iehoiada the sonne of Banaiahu, and Abia∣thar. And the captayne of the kynges warre, was Ioab.

¶ Bycause Dauid was forbydden to buylde the temple, he exhorteth Salamon, and the people to perfourme it.

CAPI. XXVIII.

ANd Dauid gathered togyther all the [unspec A] lordes of Israel: the lordes of the tribes the lordes of the companyes that mini∣stred to the kynge by course, the captaynes ouer the thousandes and ouer the hundreds, and the lordes that had the ouersyght of all the substaunce and possessyon of Dauid, his sonn{is}, with the chamberlaynes: all the mygh¦tye, and valyaunt, and all actiue men, vnto Ierusalem. And kyng Dauid stode vp vpon his fete and sayd. Heare me my brethren and my people. I had in myne herte to buylde an house of rest for the arke of the couenaunt of the Lorde, and for the ☞ fote stole of our god, & had made redy, for the buyldyng. But god sayd vnto me: thou shalte not buylde an house for my name, bycause thou hast ben a man of warre, & hast shed blood. Moreouer the lorde God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father, to be kynge ouer Is∣raell for euer, for in Iuda wolde he chose a captayne: & of the housholde of Iuda is the house of my father, & amonge the sonnes of my father he had a luste to me, to make me kyng ouer all Israel.

And of all my sonnes (for the lorde hathe [unspec B] gyuen me many sonnes) he hath chosen Sa∣lomon my sonne, to syt vpon the seate of the kyngdom of the lorde in Israel. And he sayd vnto me: Salomon thy son, he shal buylde me an house & courtes, I haue chosen hym to be my sonne, and I wyll be his father. I wyl stablysshe his kyngdom for euer, yf he wyl be stronge to do my cōmaundementes, and my lawes, as it goeth this day. Nowe therfore, in the syght of all Israel the congregacion of the Lorde, & in the audience of our God: kepe and seke for all the cōmaundementes of the Lorde your God, that ye maye enioy a good lande, and leaue enheritaunnce for your chyl¦dren after you for euer. And thou Salomon my sonne, knowe thou the God of thy father, and serue hym with a pure herte, and with a swete courage. For the Lorde searcheth all hertes, and vnderstandeth all the ymagina∣cions of thoughtes. And yf thou seke hym, he wyll be founde of the: But yf thou forsake hym, he wyll cast the of for euer. Take hede now, for the Lorde hath chosen the, to buylde hym an house of a Sanctuarie. Be stronge therfore, and playe the man.

And Dauid gaue Salomon his son the [unspec C] patron of the porche ❀ (of the temple also) & of the houses that longed therto, of the store hou¦ses, vpper chambres, inner parlours, & of the house of the mercyseate: & the example of all that he had in his mynde, for the court{is} of the house of the lorde, & for all the celles rounde aboute, for the treasures of the house of god, and for the treasures of the dedicate thyn∣ges, & of the companyes of the preestes and Leuites that wayted by course, and of all the workmanshyp, that shuld serue for the house of the lorde, & for all the vesselles that shulde serue in the house of the Lorde. For golde & for the weyght of golde, for all vessels of son∣dry ministracions: for all maner of vessels of syluer in weyght, and for all vessels, what for euer purpose they serued vnto.

The weyght of golde for the candelstyc∣kes, and the golde for the lampes, with the

weyght for euerye candelstycke, and for the lampes therof. And for the candelstyckes of syluer by weyght, bothe for the candelstycke and also for her lampes accordyng to the dy∣uersyte of the vse of euery candelstycke.

And by weyght ❀ (he gaue) golde for the [unspec D] tables of shew breade, euen for euery table: & lykewyse syluer for the tables of syluer. And golde for flesshe hokes, cuppes, & drynkynge pottes: And pure gold in weyght for basens, euen for euery basen. And lykewyse syluer by weyght, for euery basen of syluer. And for the aulter of insence pure golde by weyght. And golde for the patron of the charet of the Che¦rubes that stretched out theyr wynges, and couered the arke of the couenaūt of the lorde. All was gyuen me by wrytyng of the hande of the Lorde, which made me vnderstande al the workemanshyp of the patrone.

And Dauid sayde to Salomon his sonne: Be strong, and do manfully, feare not, nor be faynt herted. For the Lorde God, euen my God, is with the, and he shall not fayle the, nor forsake the, vntyll thou hast fynysshed al the worke that must serue for the house of the Lorde. Beholde, the preestes and Leuites are deuided in companyes, for all maner of ser∣uyce that perteyneth to the house of god: they are with the for all maner of workmanshyp, and so are all that excell in wysdome for any maner of seruyce. Thou hast also the Lordes and all the people for euery thynge that thou hast nede of.

¶ The offerynge of Dauid, and of the prynces for the buyldynge of the Temple. Dauid dyeth, and Salomon his sonne reygneth in his steade.

CAPI. XXIX.

ANd Dauid the kynge sayd vnto all the [unspec A] congregacyon: God hath specially chosen Salomon my sonne whiche is yet yonge and tender, and the worke is great for the house shall not be for man, but for the lorde God. Moreouer I haue prepared with all my myght for the house of God: golde for vesselles of golde, syluer for them of syluer, brasse for thynges of brasse, yron for thynges of yron, and wood for thynges of wood: and onyke stones / and stones to be set, glistrynge stones of dyuerse coloures, and all maner of precious stones, and marble stones in great haboundaunce. And bycause I haue luste to the house of my God: I haue of myne owne propre good, of golde and syluer, whiche I haue seuerally gyuen to the house of my god besyde all that I haue prepared for the holye house: euen thre thousande talentes of golde of Ophir, and seuen thousande talentes of [unspec B] tryed syluer, to ouerlay the walles of the hou¦ses withall: the golde for thynges of golde: syluer for them of syluer, and for al maner of worke by the handes of artificers. And who soeuer is wyllynge, may this day consecrate his hande vnto the lorde.

And so the auncient fathers, and the lor∣des of the trybes of Israel, the captaynes of thousandes and hundredes, with the lordes that were rulers ouer the kyng{is} worke, were wyllynge & gaue for the seruyce of the house of God, fyue thousande talentes of golde, & ten thousande peces of golde: and ten thou∣sande talentes of syluer, and. xviii, thousand talentes of brasse, and an hundred thousand talentes of yron. And they with whom preci∣ous stones were foūde gaue them to the trea¦sure of the house of the Lorde, by the hande of Iehiel the Gersonite.

And the people reioysed, when the were [unspec C] so wyllynge to gyue theyr goodes, and with a perfyte herte they offered vnto the Lorde.

And Dauid the kynge reioysed with great gladnesse. And Dauid blessed the Lorde be∣fore all the congregacion, and sayde. Blessed be thou lorde God of Israel our father, from euer, and foreuer. Thyne (O lorde) is great∣nesse, and power, glorie, victorie and prayse: for all that is in heuen and in earth is thyne, and thyne is the kyngdome (O lorde) & thou excellest aboue all, euen as the heade of all.

And tychesse and honoure come of the, and thou reygnest ouer all, and in thyne hande is powre and strength, and in thyne hande it is to make great, and to gyue strength vnto al. And now our god, we thanke the, and prayse thy gloryous name. But who am I•• & what is my people? that we shulde enfor•••• our sel∣ues to gyue these thynges so wyllyngly?

But all thynges come of the: and of that [unspec D] whiche we receyue of thyne hande, we haue gyuen the. For we be but straungers before the, and soiourners, as were all our fathers. Oure dayes on the earthe also are but as a shadowe, and there is none abydynge. O lorde our God, all this stuffe that we haue prepayred to buylde the an house for thy holy name, cometh of thyne hande, & is all thyne. (I wote also my god) that thou tryest the her¦tes, and hast pleasure in vnfaynednesse. And in the vnfaynednesse of myne herte, I haue wyllyngly offred al these thynges. And nowe haue I sene thy people which are foūde here, to offre vnto the wyllynglye, and with gladnes. O lorde God of Abraham. Isaac, & of Israell our fathers, kepe this for euer, as the begynnyng of the thoughtes of the herte of thy peple, & prepare theyr hertes vnto the.

And gyue vnto Salomon my sonne▪ a per¦fyte [unspec E] herte, to kepe thy cōmaundements, thy testymonyes and thy statutes, and to do all, and to buylde the house for the which I haue made prouisyon. And Dauid sayde to all the congregacion: ☞ Nowe blesse the lorde your god. And al the cōgregacion blessed the lorde god of theyr fathers, and bowed downe theyr heades & worshypped the lorde, & the kynge. And they offered offerynges vnto the Lorde. And on the morowe after the sayde day, they offered burntoffrynges vnto the Lorde: euen a thousande yong oxen, a thousand rammes & a thousande shepe, with theyr drynke offe∣rynges. Many sacrifices offered they for all Israell, and dyd eate and drynke before the Lorde the same day with great gladnesse. [unspec F] And they made Salomon the sonne of Da∣uid kynge the seconde tyme, and annoynted hym prynce before the lorde, and Zadocke to be the hygh preest.

And Salomon sat on the seate of the Lorde, and was kyng in steade of Dauid his father, and prospered, and al they of Israell obeyed hym. And all the lordes and men of power, and all the sonnes of kynge Dauid submitted them selues, and were vnder kyng Salomon. And the lorde magnifyed Sa∣lomon in dignitye, in the syght of all them of Israell, and gaue hym so gloryouse a kyng∣dome as no kyng had before hym in Israell.

And so Dauid the sonne of Isai reygned [unspec G] ouer al Israel. And the space that he reygued ouer Israel, was. xl. yere: seuen yere reygned he in Hebron, &. xxxiii. yere reygned he in Ie∣rusalem. And he dyed in a good age: full of dayes, ryches and honoure. And Salomon his sonne reygned in his steade. The actes of Dauid the kyng fyrst and last, beholde, they are wrytten in the boke of Samuel the sear, and in the boke of Nathan the prophet, and in the boke of Gad the sear, with al his kyng¦dom and power and tymes, that wente ouer hym and ouer all Israel, & ouer all the kyng∣domes of the earth.

❧ The ende of the fyrst boke of the Cronycles: other∣wyse called the fyrst boke of Paralipomenon. ❧ ❀ ❧

¶ The second boke of the Cronicles: whiche in the Hebrue is one with the fyrst.

¶ The offerynge of Salomon in the hyll aulter at Gib••••••••, where he receyueth an aunswere of God, what wysdome shulde be gyuen hym, with the nombre of his Charettes, and horsemen.

CAPI. Primo.

ANd Salomon the sonne [unspec A] of Dauid waxed stronge in his kyngdome, and the lorde his god was with hym, and magnified hym in the dignitye. And Salomon spake vnto all Israel, to the captaynes ouer thou∣sandes, to the captaynes ouer hundredes, to the iudges and to euery officer in all Israell, & to the auncient fathers. And so Salomon and all the congregacion with hym went to the hygh place that was at Gibeon: for there was the Tabernacle of the wytnesse of God, which Moses the seruaūt of the lorde made in the wyldernes. But the arke of God, had Dauid broughte from Kiriath Iarim, in to the place whiche Dauid had prepayred ther∣fore. For he had pytched a tent for it at Ieru∣salem. Moreouer, the brasen aulter that Bezaleel the sonne of Uri, the sonne of Hur had made, was there, before the tabernacle of the Lorde. And Salomon and the congre∣gacyon went to vysyt it.

And Salomon gat vp there before the [unspec B] lorde to the brasen aulter that was before the tabernacle of wytnesse, and offered a thou∣sande burnt sacrifices vpon it. And the same nyghte dyd God appeare vnto Salamon, and sayde vnto hym: Aske what I shal gyue the. And Salomon sayde vnto God: thou haste shewed great mercye vnto Dauid my father, and haste made me to reygne in his steade. Nowe therfore O Lorde God, let thy promyse whiche thou madest vnto Da∣uid my father, be true.

For thou haste made me kynge ouer a people, whiche is lyke the duste of the earthe in multitude. Wherfore, gyue me nowe wysdome, and knowledge, that I maye be able to ☞ go out and in before this people: for who elles ❀ (vvorthelye) can iudge this people that is so great?

And god sayd to Salomon, bycause this was in thyne herte, and bycause thou haste [unspec C] not asked treasure, and rychesse, and honour, and the lyues of thyne enemyes, neyther yet longe lyfe. But hast asked wysdom & know∣ledge for thy selfe, to iudge my people, ouer

whiche I haue made the kynge: wysdom and knowledge is graunted vnto the, and I wyl gyue the treasure, and richesse, and glorye, so that amonge the kynges that haue bene be∣fore the or after the, none was or shall be lyke the. And so Salomon came from the hyl aul ter (that was at Gibeon) to Ierusalem, from the tabernacle of wytnesse, and reygned ouer Israel.

And Salomon gathered charettes and horsemen: and he had a thousande and foure [unspec D] hundred charettes, and. xii. thousande horse men, whome he bestowed in the charet cityes and with the kynge at Ierusalem. And the kynge made syluer and golde at Ierusalem, as plenteous as stones: & Cedar trees made he as plentie as the mulbery trees that grow in the valleys. And the horses whiche Salo∣mon had, were brought hym out of Egypte by the kynges marchauntes that were togy∣ther: Whiche beynge of one companye, toke them oute at a pryce. They came also and brought out of Egypte ☞ a charet for syxe hundred petes of syluer, euen an horse for an hundred and fyftie. And so brought they hor∣ses for all the kynges of the Hethites, and for the kynges of Sitia by theyr owne hande.

Salomon sendeth to Hiram the kynge of Tyre, for wood, and workemen.

CAPI. II.

ANd Salomon determined to buylde an [unspec A] house for the name of the lorde, and an house for his kyngdom: and Salomon tolde out thre score and ten thousande men to beare burdens, & foure score thousande men to hew stones in the mountayne, & thre thou∣sande and syxe hundred to ouerse them.

And Salomon sent to Hiram the kynge of Tyre, sayenge: As thou dydest deale with Dauid my father, and dydest sende hym Cedar wood, to buyld hym an house to dwell in, euen so deale with me: For I am aboute to buylde an house for the name of the Lorde my god, to offre vnto hym holy thynges, and to burne swete sence, and to set shewbread be∣fore hym contynually, to offre burntsacrifi∣ces of the mornyng and euenyng, on the sab both dayes, in the fyrst daye of euery newe moone, & in the solempnefeastes of the lorde our God. For it is an ordinaunce to be con∣tinually kepte of Israel.

And the house whiche I buylte shall be [unspec B] great: for great is our god aboue al goddes.

But who is able to buylde hym an house: when that heuen, and heuen aboue al heuens is not able to receyue hym? What am I then that I shulde buylde hym an house ••ay, but euen to burne sacrifice before hym, shall this buyldyng be: sende me nowe therfore a con∣nynge man, that can worke in golde and syl∣uer, in brasse and yron, in purple, cremosyn & yelowe sylke, & that can skyll to graue, with the connynge men that are with me in Iud•• and Ierusalem, whom Dauid my father dyd prepayre. Sende me also Cedar trees, Pyne trees, and ☞ Algume trees out of Libanon. For I wote that thy seruauntes can skyll to hewe tymbre in Libanon.

And beholde, my men shall be with thyne, [unspec C] that they may prepayre me tymbre ynough. For the house whiche I am determyned to buylde, shalbe wonderfull great, And behold for the vse of thy seruauntes the cutters and hewers of tymbre: I haue gyuē. xx. thousand quarters of beaten wheate, and. xx. thousand quarters of barley, and. xx. thousande bates of wyne, and. xx. thousande bates of oyle.

And Hiram kyng of Tyre answered in wry∣tynge, whiche he sent to Salomon. Bycause the lorde hath loued his people, therfore hath he made the kynge ouer them. And Hiram sayd moreouer: blessed be the Lorde God of Israel whiche made heuen and earth, & that hath gyuen Dauid the kyng a wyse sonne, & one that hath dyscrecyon, prudence, and vn∣derstandyng, to buyld a•• house for the lorde, and a palace for hym selfe.

And nowe I haue sent a wyse man, and a [unspec D] man of vnderstandyng (whom my father ••u ram dyd vse) the sonne of a woman of the doughters of Dan, and his father was a mā of Tyre, and he can skyll to worke in golde and syluer, in brasse & yron, in stone & tymbre in purple and yelowe sylke, in fyne white and cremosyn: and can graue sondrye maner of grauynges, and to fynde out dyuerse maner of subtyll worke that shall be set before hym, with thy connynge men, & with the connyng men of my Lorde Dauid thy father. Nowe therfore, the wheate & barley, oyle and wyne, which my lorde hath spoken of, let hym sende vnto his seruauntes. And we wyll cut wood in Libanon, as moche as thou shalte nede, and wyll brynge it to the in shyppes by see to Iapho, from whence thou mayst carye them to Ierusalem. And Salomon nombred all the straungers that were in the lande of Is∣rael, after the nombre of them, whom his fa∣ther Dauid had nombred. And they were founde an hundred &. liii. M. and syxe hun∣dred. And he set. lxx. thousande of them to beare burdens, and lxxx. M. to hew stones in the mountayne, and thre thousande and syxe hundred offycers, to set the people a worke.

¶ The temple of the lorde and the porche are buylded. with other thynges therto belongynge.

CAPI. III.

ANd Salomō began to buylde the house [unspec A] of the lorde at Ierusalem in mount Mo¦ria where (the Lorde appeared vnto Dauid his father: euen in the place that Da¦uid prepared in the thresshynge floure of Or¦nan the Iebusite. And he began to buylde in the seconde day of the second moneth the fourth yere of his reygne. And these are the patrons wherby Salomon was instructe to buylde the house of God. The length was thre score cubytes after the olde measure, and the bredth. xx. cubytes. The porche, that was in bredth as large as the temple, had. xx. cu∣bytes: and the heygth was an hundred and xx. cubytes. And he ouerlayde it on the inner syde with pure golde.

And the greater house he syled with fyrre [unspec B] trees, which he ouerlayde with the best gold / and graued therto Palmetrees, & cheynes.

And he ouerlayde the house with precyous stone beutyfully. And the gold was golde of Paruaim: The house (I saye) the beames / postes, walles and dores therof, ouerlayde he with gold, and made grauen worke vpon the walles. And he made the house moost ho∣lye, whose length was. xx. cubytes lyke to the bredth of the house, & the bredth therof was also. xx. cubytes.

And he ouerlayde it with good golde, euen with. vi. hundred talentes. And the weyght of the nayles of golde was fyftye sycles. And he ouerlayde the vpper chambers with gold

And in the house moost holye, he made two Cherubins of ymage worke, lyke chyl∣dren, [unspec C] and ouerlayde them with golde. And the wynges of the Cherubs were. xx. cubytes longe. The one wynge was fyue cubites, rea¦chyng to the wall of the house, and the other wyng was lykewyse fyue cubytes, reachyng to the wynge of the other Cherub. And euen so the one wynge of the other Cherub was fyue cubytes, reachynge to the wall of the house, and the other wynge was fyue cubites also, and reached to the wynge of the other Cherub. So that the wyng{is} of the sayd the∣••ubs were stretched out. xx. cubyt{is}. And they stode on theyr feete, and loked inwardes.

And he made a fore hangynge of yelowe [unspec D] sylke purple, cremosin, and fyne whyte, & cau¦sed the pyctures of Cherubs to be brodered theron. And he made before the house, two pyllers of. xxxv. cubytes hygh. And the head that was aboue on the top of one of them was fyue cubytes. And he made theynes of wrethen worke for the quere, and put them on the heades of the pyllers, and made an hun∣dred pomgarnettes, & put them on the chey∣nes. And he reared vp the pyllers before the temple: one on the ryght hand, and the other on the lefte, and called the ryght ☞ Iathin, and the lefte ☞ Boaz.

¶ The aulter of brasse, the lauatorye, the vessels to was she with, the candelstyckes. &c.

CAPI. IIII.

ANd he made an aulter of brasse. xx. cu∣bites [unspec A] longe, and. xx. cubites brode, and ten cubytes hygh. And he cast a bra∣sen Lauatorye of ten cubytes from brym to brym, rounde in compasse, and fyue cubytes hygh: and a lyne of thyrtye cubytes dyd com¦passe it roūde aboute. And vnder it was the fassyon of oxen which dyd compasse it roūde aboute: with ten cubytes dyd they compasse the Lauatory rounde aboute, and there were two rowes of oxen, whiche were cast of lyke molten worke. And it stode also vpon twelue oxen: thre loked towarde the North, thre to∣warde the west, thre toward the South, and thre toward the East: and the Lauatory was set vpon them, and all theyr backes were to∣warde the Lauatory. And the thyckest of it was an hande bredth, and the brym lyke the brym of a cup, with floures of lylyes. And ••o receyued and helde thre thousande bates.

And he made ten lauers: and put fyue on the ryght hande, and fyue on the lefte, to [unspec B] wash and clense in them, soch thyng•• as they offered for a burt offerynge. But the greate Lauatory was for the preestes to was she in. And he made ten candelstyckes of golde (ac∣cordynge to the patrone that was gyuen of them) & put them in the temple: fyue on the ryght hand, & fyue on the lefte. And he made also ten tables: and put them in the temples fyue on the ryght syde, and fyue on the lefte.

And he made an hūdred basens of golde. And he made the courte of the Preestes, and the great courte and dores to it: & ouerlayde the dores of them with brasse. And he set the great Lauatory on the ryght syde of the east ende, ouer agaynst the South. And Hiram made pottes, shouels and basens, and fynys∣shed the worke that he was appoynted to make for kyng Salomon in the house of god: The two pyllers, the coueryng{is} or two hea∣des [unspec C] on the toppes of the pyllers, and the two wrethes to couer the two scalpes or heades that were on the toppes on the pyllers: and foure hundred pomgarnett{is} on the two wre∣thes, two rowes of Pomgarnettes on one wrethe, to couer the two toppes or heades

that were on the pyllers. And he made two bottomes, and lauers made he vpon the bot∣tomes: the greate lauatory, and twelue oxen vnder it. Pott{is} also and shouels, fleshehokes and all these vessels dyd Hyram (his father) make to kynge salomon for the house of the Lorde, of bryght brasse.

In the playne of Iordane dyd the kynge [unspec D] cast them, euen in the claye grounde that is / bytwene Socoth and Zatedatha. And Salo¦mon made all these vessels in greate aboun∣dance / for the weyght of brasse coulde not be rekened. And Salomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God: The golden aulter also / & the tables to set the shewbreade vpon. Moreouer, the cādelstyckes with theyr lampes (to burne after the maner before the queere) and that of precyous golde: and the floures, & the lampes, and the snoffers made he of golde, and that perfyte golde: and the dressynge knyues / basens / spones / and sen∣cers of pure golde. And ❀ (he made) the dore of the temple / and the inner dores within the place moost holye: and the inner dores of the temple, were gylted. And so was al the worke that Salomon made for the house of the lorde finysshed.

¶ The Arke is brhought into the temple, which is fylled with the glorye of the Lorde.

CAPI. V.

ANd so al the worke that Salomō made [unspec A] in the house of the Lorde was finyshed: & Salomon brought in al the thyng{is} that Dauid his father had dedycated, with the syluer and golde / and all the Iuels, and put them amonge the treasures of the house of God. Then Salomon gathered the el∣ders of Israell togyther / and all the heades of the trybes, & auncyent fathers of the chyl∣dren of Israell, vnto Ierusalem: to brynge the arke of the couenaunt of the lorde out of the citye of Dauid which is Zion: Wherfore all the men of Israell resorted vnto the kyng in the feast, euen in the seuenth moneth. And all the elders of Israell came, and the Leuy∣tes toke vp the arke.

And the preestes and the Leuites brought [unspec B] awaye the Arke, and the tabernacle of wyt∣nesse, (and al the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle,) and they bare them. And kynge Salomon and all the congregacyon of Is∣raell / that were assembled vnto hym before the Arke, offered shepe, and oxen, so many / that they coulde not be tolde, nor nombred for multytude. And the Preestes brought the Arke of the appoyntment of the Lorde vnto his place, euen in to the queere of the temple within the place moost holy, and set it vnder the wyng{is} of the Cherubs, that the Cherubs stretched out theyr wynges ouer the place of the Arke, and the Cherubs couered both the Arke and her barres aboue on hygh.

And the barres of the Arke, were so longe [unspec C] that the heades of the barres were sene with¦out the Arke within the queere, but not with¦out. And there the Arke remayned vnto this daye. But there was nothynge in the Arke / saue the two tables which Moses put thee in at Horeb, when the lorde made a couenaūt with the chyldren of Israell, after they were come out of Egypte. And it fortuned, that when the Preestes were come out of the holy place (for all the Preestes that were present, were sanctyfyed and dyd not then wayte by course) that bothe the Leuites and the syn∣gers (vnder Asaph, Heman and Ieduthun) were appoynted to sondrye offices with theyr Chyldren and brethren, and were arayde in fyne whyte, hauynge Symbals, Psalteries and harpes, and stode at the East ende of the aulter: and by them an hundred and twentye Preestes blowynge with trompettes. [unspec D]

And the trompet blowers and the syngers so agreed, that it semed but one voyce in pray synge and thankynge the Lorde. And when they lyfte vp theyr voyce with the Trom∣pettes, Symbals and other instrumentes of Musycke, and when they praysed the Lorde, ❀ (and sayde) howe that he is good, and that his mercy lasteth euer, the house of god was fylled with a cloude: so that the preest{is} coulde not endure to mynyster, by the reason of the cloude. For the maiestye of the Lorde had fyl¦led the house of God.

¶ The wordes of Salomon to the people, and the prayer that he made vnto god.

CAPI. VI.

THen Salomon sayde: the Lorde hath [unspec A] spoken, howe that he wyll dwell in the cloude. And I haue buylte an habyta∣cyon for the, and a place for thy dwellynge for euer. And the kynge turned his face, and blessed the hoole congregacyon of Israell / and all the congregacyon of Israell stode.

And he sayde: blessed be the Lorde god of Israell whiche hath with his handes, fulfyl∣led it, that he spake with his mouth to my fa∣ther Dauid, sayenge: Sence the daye that I brought my people out of the lande of E∣gypte, I chose no cytye amonge all the try∣bes of Israell to buylde an house in, that my name myght be there, neyther chose I any man to be a ruler ouer my people Israell: sa∣uynge that haue chosen Ierusalem, (that

my name myght be there) and haue chosen Dauid to be ouer my people Israell.

And when it was in the herte of Dauid my father to buylde an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israell: the Lorde sayde to [unspec B] Dauid my father: for asmoche as it was in thyne herte to buylde an house for my name, thou dydest well that thou so thoughtest in thyne herte. Notwithstandynge, thou shalte not buylde the house, but thy Son whiche is proceded out of thy loynes, he shall buylde an house for my name. The Lorde therfore / hath made good his saynge that he hath spo¦ken, and I am rysen vp in the rowme of Da∣uid my father, and am set on the seate of Is∣raell, as the Lorde promysed, and haue buylt an house for the name of the Lorde God of Israell. And in it haue I put the Arke, wher∣in is the couenaunt of the lorde that he made with the chyldren of Israell. And the kynge stode before the aulter of the lorde in the pre∣sence of all the congregacyon of Israell, and stretched out his handes. For now Salomō had made a brasen pulpyt of fyue cubytes longe, and fyue cubytes brode, and thre of heyght, and had set it in the myddes of the great courte, and vpon it, he stode and kne∣led downe vpon his knees before all the con∣gregacyon of Israell, and stretched out his handes towarde heuen, and sayde:

O lorde God of Israell, there is no [unspec C] god lyke the in heuen and in earth, which ke∣pest couenaunt, and shewest mercy vnto thy seruaunt{is} that walke before the with al theyr hertes. Thou whiche haste kepte with thy seruauaunte Dauid my father, the thynges that thou promysedest hym: Thou saydest it with thy mouth, & hast fulfylled it with thyne handes, as it is to se this daye.

And nowe Lorde God of Israell, kepe with thy seruaunte Dauid my Father, the thynges that thou promysedst hym, saynge: thou shalte in my syght not be without a man, that shall syt vpon the seate of Israell: so that thy chyldrē take hyde to theyr wayes / to walke in my lawe, as thou hast walked be fore me. And nowe Lorde God of Israell, let thy sayenge be true whiche thou spakest vn∣to thy seruaunt Dauid. And wyll God in ve∣ry dede, dwell with men on earth? Beholde / heuen and heuen aboue all heuens do not tōteyne the: howe moch lesse the house which I haue buylded? Let it be thy pleasure ther∣fore to turne to the prayer of thy seruaunte & to his supplycacyon (O Lorde my God) to herken vnto the voyce and prayer whiche thy seruaunte prayeth before the: & let thyne eyes be open toward this house day & nyght, [unspec D] ouer this place, wherin thou hast sayde, that thou woldest put thy name: to herken vnto the prayer whiche thy seruaunte prayeth in this place: Herken vnto the Prayers of thy seruaunte, and of thy people Israell, whiche they praye in this place: heare thou (I say••) out of thy dwellyng place, euen out of heuen: heare and be mercyfull.

Yf a man syn agaynst his neyghboure, and take an othe agaynst hym, & make hym to sweare, and they bothe come before thyne aulter in this house: then heare thou from heuen, and worke, and iudge thy seruaūtes / that thou rewarde the vngodlye, and recom∣pence hym his waye vpon his heade, ☞ and iustifye the ryghteous, and gyue hym accor∣dynge to his ryghtwysenesse.

And yf thy people Israell be put to the worse before the enemye, bycause they haue synned agaynst the: Yet yf they turne and gyue than¦kes vnto thy name, & make intercessyon / and pray before the in this house: then heate thou from heuen, and be mercifull vnto the synne of thy people Israell, & brynge them agayne vnto the lande, whiche thou gauest to them, and to theyr fathers. When heuen is shut vp, and there be no rayne, bycause they haue [unspec E] synned agaynst the: yet yf they praye in this place, and cōfesse thy name, and repent from theyr syn for the which thou chastenest them: then heare thou in heuen, and be mercyfull vnto the synne of thy seruauntes, and of thy people Israell, and gyde thou them in to the good waye, to walke in, & sende rayne vpon thy lande, whiche thou hast gyuen vnto thy people, for an enherytaunce. And yf there be derth in the lande, or pestylence, corrupcyon / or blastynge of corne, greshoppers, or cater∣pyllers, or that theyr enemyes beseyge them in the cityes of theyr lande, ❀ (and destroy the countryes) or whatsoeuer plage or syckenesse it be: Then what supplicacyons and prayers soeuer shall be made of any man, and of thy people Israell, which shall knowe euery man his owne sore, and his owne grefe, and shall stretche out theyr handes toward this house, thou shalte heare from heuen, euen from thy dwellyng place, and shalt be merciful, & gyue euery man accordynge vnto all his wayes / euen as thou dost know euery mann▪ herte: for thou onely knowest the hertes of the chyl∣dren of men: that they may feare the & walke in thy wayes, as longe as they lyue in the lande, whiche thou gauest vnto our fathers.

Moreouer, the straunger whiche is not of thy people Israell, yf he come from a farre

lande for thy great names sake, & thy mygh∣tye [unspec F] hande, & the stretched out arme. Yf they come (I saye) and praye in this house: thou shalte heare from heuen, euen from thy dwel lynge place, and shalte do accordynge to all that the straunger calleth to the for. That al the people of the earth may know thy name / and feare the, as doth thy people Israel / and that they may knowe, how that in this house which I haue buylt, thy name is called vpō.

Yf thy people go out to war agaynst theyr enemyes, by the waye that thou shalte sende them, and they praye to the, in the waye to∣ward this citie which thou hast chosen, euen towarde the house whiche I haue buylte for thy name: then heare thou from heuen theyr supplicacyon and prayer, and helpe them in theyr ryght.

Yf they syn agaynst the (as there is no man but he doth synne) and thou be angrye with them, & delyuer them ouer before theyr enemyes, and they take them, and leade them awaye vnto a lande far or neare, yet yf they repent in theyr herte in the lande where they be in captiuyte, and turne, and pray vnto the in the lande of theyr captiuyte, sayenge:

We haue synned (we haue done euyl & wyc¦kedlye) [unspec G] & turne agayne to the, with all theyr herte, and al theyr soule, in the lande of theyr captiuyte, where they kepe them in bondage, & so pray toward theyr lande which thou ga∣uest vnto theyr fathers, euen towarde the cy∣tye whiche thou hast chosen, and towarde the house whiche I haue buylte for thy name: Then heare thou from heuen, euen from thy dwellynge place, theyr supplycacyon & theyr prayer, and iugde theyr cause, & be mercyfull vnto thy people, which haue synned agaynst the. Nowe my God, let thyne eyes be open, and thyne eares attente vnto the prayer that is made in this place. Nowe vp O Lorde God in to thy restynge place: thou and the Arke of thy strength: O Lorde God, let thy Preestes be clothed with helth, & let thy sayn∣tes reioyse in goodnesse. O lorde god, turne not awaye the face of thyne anoynted: Re∣membre the mercyes, whiche thou hast pro∣mysed to Dauid thy seruaunte.

¶ The fyre consumeth the Sacrifyce. The lorde appeareth to Salomon the seconde tyme.

CAPI. VII.

ANd when Salomon had made an ende [unspec A] of prayenge, ‡ there came downe fyre from heuen, and consumed the burnt offerynge and the sacrifyces. And the house was fylled with the glorye of the Lorde, and the Preestes coulde not go in to the house of the Lorde, bycause the glorye of the lorde had fylled the Lordes house. And when all the chyldren of Israell sawe howe the fyre, and the glorye of the lorde came downe vpon the house, they fell downe flat vpon theyr faces to the earth vpon the pauement, & worshyp∣ped and confessed vnto the Lorde, that he is gracyous, and that his mercye lasteth euer. And the kynge, and all the people offered sa∣crifyces before the Lorde.

And kynge Salomon offered a sacrifyce [unspec B] of. xxii. thousande oxen, and an hundred and xx. thousand shepe. And so the kynge and all the people ☞ dedicated the house of God. And the preest{is} wayted on theyr offyces, and the Leuites had the instrument{is} of musycke of the Lorde (which kynge Dauid had made to confesse vnto the lorde, that his mercye la∣steth euer) playenge a psalme of Dauid with theyr hande. And the preestes blew with trom¦pettes before them: & all they of Israel stode. Moreouer, Salomon halowed the myddle of the courte, that was before the house of the Lorde: for theyr he offered burntofferynges and the fat of the peaceofferynges, bycause the brasen aulter which Salomon had made / was not able to receyue the burntofferynges and the meatosferynges and the fat.

So at the same tyme Salomon kepte a feast of seuen dayes, and all they of Israell with hym an excedyng great congregacyon, [unspec C] euen from the enterynge in of Hamath, vnto the ryuer of Egypte. And in the eyght daye they made a gatherynge. For they kepte the dedicacyon of the aulter seuen dayes, ☞ and the feast seuen dayes. And the. xxiii. daye of the seuenth moneth, he let the people departe in to theyr tentes glad and mery in herte, for the goodnesse that the Lorde had shewed to Dauid, and to Salomon, and to Israell his people. And so Salomon finyshed the house of the Lorde, and the kynges house: and all that came in his herte to make in the house of the Lorde, and in his owne house, wente pro∣sperouslye forwarde. And the lorde appeared to Salomon by nyght, and sayde to hym: I haue herde thy petycyon, and haue chosen this place for my selfe, to be an house of Sa∣cryfyce. Yf I shut vp heuen, that there be no rayne: or yf I cōmaunde the locustes to de∣uoure the lande, or yf I sende pestylence a∣monge my peple: and yf they that are of my people (amonge whome my name is called vpon) do humble them selues, and make in∣tercessyon, and seke my presence, and turne from theyr wycked wayes, then wyll I heare from heuen, and be mercyfull to theyr synne,

and wyll heale theyr lande. And from hence forth myne eyes shall be open, & myne eares attent to the prayer that is made in this place.

And therfore nowe I haue chosen and sanctifyed this house, that my name maye be [unspec D] there for euer: and myne eyes and myne herte shall be there perpetuallye. And yf thou wylt walke before me (as Dauid thy father wal∣ked) to do all that I haue commaunded the, and shalt obserue my statutes & my lawes: then wyll I stablyshe the seate of thy kyng∣dome, accordynge as I made the couenaunt with Dauid thy father, sayenge: thou shalt not be without a man, to be ruler in Israell. But and yf ye turne awaye, and forsake my statutes, and my cōmaundementes (whiche I haue set before you) and shal go and serue other gods, and worshyp them: then wyll I plucke them vp by the routes out of my land whiche I haue gyuen them, and this house (whiche I haue sanctifyed for my name) wyl I cast oute of my syght, and wyll make it to be a prouerbe / and a iest among all nacions. And euery one that passeth by, shall be asto∣nyed at this house (whiche belonged to the moost hygh God) and shall saye: why hath the lorde delte on this fassion with this land, and with this house? And they shal answere: bycause they forsoke the Lorde God of theyr fathers, (which brought them out of the land of Egypt) & caught holde on other gods, and worshipped them, and serued them: euen ther fore hath he brought al this euyl vpon them.

¶ The cityes that Salomon buylded, after that the house of God was finyshed.

CAPI. VIII.

ANd it fortuned, that after. xx. yeare [unspec A] when Salomon had buylte the house of the Lorde, & his owne house: he buylt the cityes that Hiram gaue hym, and put of the chyldren of Israell in them. And Salo∣mon went to Hamath Zoba, and strengthed it. And he buylt Thadmor in the wyldernes, and repayred all the store cityes whiche were in Hamath. And he buylt Bethhoron the vp∣per / and Bethhoron the neyther, stronge cy∣tyes, hauyng walles, gates and barres. And Baalath and all the store cytyes that Salo∣mon had, and all the charet cityes, and the ci∣tyes of the horsemen, & euery pleasant place, that Salomon had lust to buylde in Ierusa∣lem and Libanō, and thorowout all the land of his dominyon.

And all the people that were lefte of the [unspec B] Hethites, Amorytes, Pheresytes, Heuytes, and Iebusytes, whiche were not of the chyl∣dren of Israell: but were the chyldrē of them, which were lefte after them in the lande, and were not consumed of the chyldren of Israel, them dyd Salomon make to paye trybute vnto this day. But of the chyldren of Israel dyd Salomon make no bonde men for his worke: but they were men of war and rulers and great Lordes with hym, and captaynes ouer his charettes and horsemen. And kyng Salomons offycers that ouersawe and ru∣led the people, were two hundred and fyftye.

And Salomon brought the doughter of [unspec C] Pharao out of the cytye of Dauid, in to the house that he had buylded for her. For he sayde: my wyfe shall not dwell in the house of Dauid kyng of Israel, for it is holy, bycause that the Arke of the Lorde is come vnto it. Then Salomon offered burntofferyng{is} vn∣to the lorde, on the aulter of the Lorde which he had buylte before the porche, doyng euery thynge in his due tyme and offerynge, accor∣dynge to the commaundement of Moses, in the sabbothes, newmoones, and solempne feastes, thre tymes in the yeare: that is to saye, in the feast of swete breade, in the feast of wekes, and in the feast of tabernacles. And Salomon set the sortes of Preestes to theyr offyces, (as Dauid his father had or∣dered them,) and the Leuites in theyr wat∣ches, for to prayse and mynystre before the Preestes daye by day, & the porters by course at euery gate.

For so had Dauid the man of god com∣maunded. [unspec D] And they omytted not the com∣maundement of the kynge vnto the preestes, and the Leuytes, concernynge any maner of thynge, and concernynge the treasures. For Salomon made prouisyon for the charges / from the fyrst daye that the foundacyon of the house of the Lorde was layde, tyll it was finyshed / that the house of the lorde was per¦fyte. Then went kynge Salomon to Ezion Gaber, and to Eloth at the ❀ (redde) sees syde in the lande of Edom. And Hiram sent hym by the hande of his seruauntes, shyppes and seruauntes that had knowledge of the see: & they came with the seruauntes of Salomon to Ophir, and caryed thence foure hundred, and fyftye talentes of golde, and brought it to kynge Salomon.

¶ The cōmunicacyon of Salomon with the quene of Saba and the gyftes that the one gaue to the other. The death of Salomon, after whome succedeth Rehoboham.

CAPI. IX.

ANd when the quene of Saba herde [unspec A] of the fame of Salomon, she came to proue hym in harde questions at Ierusalem, with a very greate companye, with camels

that bare spyces, and plentye of golde, and precyous stones. And when she was come to Salomon, she cōmuned with hym of al that she had in her herte. And Salomon assoyled her, all her questions, and there was not one worde hyd from Salomon, whiche he tolde her not. And when the quene of Saba had sene the wysdome of Salomon and the house that he had buylte, and the meate of his ta∣ble, the syttynge of his seruauntes, and the standynge of his wayters, theyr apparell, his butlers, theyr apparell, his goynge vp (by the whiche he went in to the house of the Lorde,) there was no more spiryte in her.

And she sayde to the kynge: the sayenge [unspec B] whiche I herde in myne owne lande, of thyne actes, and of thy wysdome, is true. I beleued not the wordes of them, vntyll I came, and myne eyes had sene it. And beholde, the one halfe of thy wysdome was not tolde me: for thou excedest the fame that I herde. Happye are thy men, & happye are these thy seruaun∣tes whiche stande before the alwaye, & heare thy wysdome. Blessed be the lorde thy God / which had lust to the, to set the kynge on his ••••••te, that thou myghtest be kyng, ordeyned by the Lorde thy God. Bycause thy God lo∣ueth Israell, and hath delyte to make them contynue euer, therfore made he the kynge ouer them, to do ryght and equite.

And she gaue the kynge an hundred, & xx. [unspec C] talentes of golde, and of spyces excedynge great haboundaunce, and precyous stones, neyther was there any more soche spyce, as the quene of Saba gaue kynge Salomon. And the seruauntes of Hiram & the seruaun∣tes of Salomon whiche brought golde from Ophir, brought also ☞ Algume wood, and precyous stones. And the kynge made of the Algumwood, stayres in the house of the lorde and in the Kynges palace, and harpes and Psaltryes for Syngers. And there was no soche wood sene before in the lande of Iuda. And kynge Salomon gaue to the quene of Saba euery pleasaunt thyng that she asked, but not so moche as she brought vnto the kynge. And so she turned and went away to her owne lande with her seruauntes.

The weyght of golde that came to Salo¦mon [unspec D] in one yeare, was syxe hundred. lxvi. ta¦lentes of golde, besydes that which chapmen and marchauntes brought: and al the kyng{is} of Arabia, & rules of that countrey, brought golde and syluer to Salomon. And kynge Salomon made. CC. bucklers of beaten golde, and syx hundred sycles of beaten gold were spente vpon one buckler: and thre hun∣dred scheldes made he of beaten golde / and one schelde cost thre hundred peces of golde / & the kynge put them in the house that was in the forest of Libanon. And the kyng made a great seate of yuorye, and ouerlayde it with pure golde. And there were syxe steppes to the seate with a foote stole of golde, fastened to the seate: and pomels an eche syde of the syttynge place, and two lyons standynge by the pomels.

And. xii. lyons stode on the one syde and [unspec E] on the other: vpon the syxe steppes / so that there was no soch worke made in any kyng∣dome. And all the drynkyng vessels of kyng Salomon were of golde, and all the vessels of the house that was in the forest of Libanō, were of precyouse golde: for syluer was coun¦ted nothynge worth in the dayes of Salo∣mon. For the kynges shyppes went to Thar¦sis with the seruauntes of Hiram: euery thre yeare once came the shyppes to Tharsis, and brought golde, syiuer, puorye, and apes and Pacockes.

And kynge Salomon passed al the kyng{is} of the earth in rychesse and wysdom. And all [unspec F] the kynges of the earth, sought the presence of Salomon, to heare his wysdom, that god had put in his herte. And they brought euery man his present: vessels of syluer, and vessels of golde, rayment / harnesse, spyces, horses & Mules (and whatsoeuer myght be gotten) yeare by yeare. And Salomon had foure thousande stalles for horses and charettes / and twelue thousande horsemen, whome he bestowed in the charet cityes, and some were with the kyng at Ierusalem. And he reygned ouer all the kynges that were from Euphra∣tes vnto the lande of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

And the kynge made syluer in Ierusa∣lem as plenteous as stones, & Cedar trees as [unspec G] plenteous, as the mulbery trees that growe in the valleyes. And they brought vnto Sa∣lomon horses out of Egypte, and out of all landes. The rest of the actes of kynge Sa∣lomon / fyrst and last / are they not wrytten in the sayenges of Nathan the Prophet, and in the prophesye of Ahiah the Selonite, and in the visyons of Iedo the Sear of visyons, a∣gaynst Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat? And Salomon reygned in Ierusalem vpon all Israell fourtye yeares. And Salomon slept with his fathers, and they buryed hym in the Citye of Dauid his father, and Rehoboam his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ The folyshnesse of Rehoboam, and the diuisyon of his realme.

CAPI. X.

ANd Rehoboham went to Sichem: for [unspec A] to Sichem were all Israell come togy∣ther, to make hym kynge. And when Ie¦roboam the sonne of Nebat, (whiche was fled into Egypte from the presence of Salo∣mon the kynge) herde it, he returned out of Egypte, And they sent and called hym. And so Ieroboam and all they of Israell came / & comuned with Rehoboam, sayenge: Thy fa∣ther layde a greuous yocke vpon vs: nowe therfore remyt thou somwhat of the greuous seruyce of thy father / and of his heuye yocke that he put vpon vs, and we wyll serue the. And he sayde to them: come agayne vnto me after thre dayes. And the people departed.

And kynge Rehoboam counsaylled with [unspec B] the elders that had stande before Salomon his father, whyle he yet lyued, and he sayde: what counsayle gyue ye me, to answere this people agayne? And they tolde hym, saynge: Yf thou be kynde to this people, and please them, and speake louynge wordes to them / they wyll be thy seruauntes for euer. But he lefte the counsayle whiche the elders gaue hym, and toke coūsayle with the yonge men / that were growen vp with hym, & that stode in his presence. And he sayd vnto them: what aduyse gyue ye, that we maye answere this people, whiche haue cōmuned with me, say∣enge: Abate somwhat of the yocke, which thy father dyd put vpon vs.

And the yonge men that were growen vp [unspec C] with hym, spake vnto hym, sayenge: Thus shalte thou answere the people that spake to the, sayenge: Thy father made our yocke he∣uye: But make thou it somewhat lyghter for vs. Thus shalt thou say vnto them: my lytle fynger shall be heuyer then my fathers loy∣nes. For where my father put a heuy yocke vpon you, I wyl put more to your yocke: my father chastysed you with whyppes, but I wyll chastyse you with scorpyons. And so Ie¦roboam and all the people came to Rehobo∣am the thyrde day as the kynge bad, saynge: Come agayne to me the thyrde day. And the kynge answered them cruelly, and kynge Re¦hoboam lefte the counsayle of the aged men, and answered them after the aduyse of the yonge men, sayenge. My father made youre yocke greuous, and I wyll adde therto: my father chastysed you with whyppes, but I wyll chastyse you with scorpyons. And so the kynge herkened not vnto the people: but the occasyon came of god, that the Lorde myght make good his sayenge, whiche he spake (by the hande of Ahia the Selonite) to Iero¦boam the sonne of Nebat. And when al they [unspec D] of Israell sawe that the kynge wolde not a∣gree vnto them, the peple answered the kyng sayenge: what parte haue we with Dauid, or enherytaunce with the son of Isai? Let euery man of Israell go to his tent.

And now Dauid, se to thyne owne house. And so all Israell gat them to theyr tentes / so that Rehoboam reygned ouer no mo•• of the chyldren of Israell, then dwelte in the ci∣tyes of Iuda. Then kynge Rehoboam also sent Haduram that was ruler ouer the try∣bute, and the chyldren of Israell stoned hym with stones that he dyed. But kynge Rehobo¦am made spede to get hym vp to his charette to fley to Ierusalem. And they of Israell re∣belled agaynst the house of Dauid vnto this daye.

¶ Rehoboam is forbydden to syght agaynst Ieroboam. He hath. xviii. wyues, and. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. concubynes, and by them xxviii. sonnes, and lx. doughters.

CAPI. XI.

ANd when Rehoboam was come to Ie∣rusalem, [unspec A] he gathered of the house of Iuda and Ben Iamin, nyne score. M. chosen men of war to fyght agaynst Israell, and to brynge the kyngdome agayne to Re∣hoboam. And the worde of the Lorde came to Semeiahu the man of God, sayenge: speake vnto Rehoboam the son of Salomon kynge of Iuda, and to all them of Israell that are in Iuda and Ben Iamin, & saye: thus sayth the lord: Ye shal not go vp nor fyght agaynst your brethrē: returne euery man to his house, for this thynge is done of me. And they o∣beyed the wordes of the Lorde, and returned from goynge agaynst Ieroboam.

And Rehoboam dwelt in Ierusalem, and [unspec B] buylte strong cityes in Iuda: He buylded vp Bethleem, and Etam and Theko: Bethzur / Socho and Adullam: Gath, & Maresa, and Ziph: Adurahim, Lachis and Aseca: Zorea / Aialon, and Hebron (whiche is in Iuda and Ben Iamin) stronge cityes. And he repayred the stronge holdes & put captaynes in them / and store of vyttayle, & wyne and oyle. And in all cityes he put scheldes and speares, and made them excedynge stronge, hauynge Iu∣da and Ben Iamin on his syde.

And the Preestes and the Leuytes that [unspec C] were in all Israell, resorted to hym, out of all theyr coostes. For the Leuites lefte theyr sub∣urbes and theyr possessyon, and came to Iu∣da and Ierusalem: For Ierobdam and his Sonnes had ••ast them out from ministryng vnto the Lorde. And he ordeyned hym Preestes for the byll austers, for the deuyls and for the calues whiche he had made.

And after the Leuites there went of all the trybes of Israell / (suche as submytted theyr hertes to seke the Lorde God of Israell) and came to Ierusalem, to offer vnto the Lorde god of theyr fathers.

And so they strengthed the kyngdome of Iuda, and made Rehoboam the Sonne of [unspec D] Salomon myghtye thre yeare longe, for thre yeare they walked in the waye of Dauid and Salomon. And Rehoboam toke hym Maha∣lath the doughter of Ierimoth the Sonne of Dauid to wyfe, and Abihaill the doughter of Eliab the sonne of Isai, whiche bare hym chyldrē: Ieus, Samaria and Zaha. And af∣ter her he toke Maaca the doughter of Ab∣salom whiche bare hym Abia, Atthai, Ziza & Selomith. And Rehoboam loued Maaca the doughter of Absalō aboue all his wyues and concubyn{is}, for he toke. xviii. wyues and thre score concubynes, and begat. xviii. sonn{is} and thre score doughters. And Rehoboam made Abia the sonne of Maacha the cheyfe ruler amonge his brethren, and to haue the ouer syght of the kyngdome. And he played wysely, and scattered all his chyldren thorow out all the countreyes of Iuda, and Ben Ia¦min vnto euery stronge citye. And he gaue them aboūdaunce of vyttayle, and obteyned many wyues.

¶ Seba kynge of Egypte robbeth the temple of the Lorde. Rehoboam dyeth, and Ahia his sonne succedeth hym.

CAPI. XII.

ANd it came to passe, that when Rehobo¦am [unspec A] had stablyshed the kyngdome, and became myghtye, he forsoke the lawe of the Lorde, and all Israell with hym. And it fortuned, that in the fyfth yere of kynge Re¦hoboam, Sesac the kynge of Egypte came vp agaynst Ierusalem, (bycause they had transgressed agaynst the Lorde, with twelue hundred charettes, and. lx. thousande horse∣men. And the people were without nombre, that came with hym out of Egypte. Lubim, Suckim & the blackmores. And they toke the stronge cityes in Iuda, & came to Ierusalem,

Then came Semeia the Prophet to Re∣hoboam and to the lordes of Iuda (that were [unspec B] gathered togyther within Ierusalem for Se¦sac) and sayde vnto them: thus sayeth the lorde: ye haue lefte me, and therfore haue I also lefte you in the handes of Sesac. Where vpon the lordes of Israell & the kynge hum∣bled them selues, and sayd: the lorde is rygh∣teous. And when the Lorde sawe that they submytted them selues, the word of the lorde came to Semeia, saynge. They submyt them selues, therfore I wyll not destroye them. But I wyll delyuer them somwhat, and my wrath shall not burne vpon Ierusalem by the hande of Sesac. Neuerthesse, they shal be his seruauntes, to knowe what dyfference is bytwene my seruyce, and the seruice of the kyngdomes of the worlde.

And so Sesac kynge of Egypt came to Ie¦rusalem, [unspec C] and toke awaye the treasures of the house of the Lorde, and the treasures of the kynges house: he toke euen al. And he caryed away the scheldes of golde, whiche Salo∣mon made. In steade of which, kynge Reho∣boam made scheldes of brasse, and cōmytted them to the handes of the captaynes whiche had the ouersyght of the fote men, and that kepte the entraunce of the kyng{is} house. And it came to passe, that when the kynge entred into the house of the lorde, the garde came, & fet them, and brought them agayne vnto the garde chambre. And when he humbled hym selfe, the wrath of the lorde turned from hym that he wolde not destroye all togyther. And in Iuda all was well.

And so kynge Rehoboam waxed myghty [unspec D] and reygned in Ierusalem. And Rehoboam was. xli. yere olde, when he began to reygne / and he reygned. xvii. yeres in Ierusalem, the citye whiche the Lorde had chosen out of all the trybes of Israell, to put his name there. And his mothers name was Naama an Am¦monitesse. And he dyd euyll: bycause he pre∣pared not his herte to seke the Lorde.

The actes also of Rehoboam, fyrst and last, are they not wrytten in the sayenges of Se∣meia the prophet and of Iddo the sear, which noted the genealogye? and there was warr•• alway bytwene Rehoboam, and Ieroboam. And Rehoboam slepte with his fathers, and was buryed in the citye of Dauid, and Abia his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ The victory of Abia agaynst Ieroboam.

CAPI. XIII.

THe eyghtene yeare of kynge Ieroboam, [unspec A] began Abia to reygne ouer Iuda, and he reygned thre yere in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Michaiahu the doughter of Uriell of Gibea. And there was war bytwene Abia and Ieroboam. And Abia made prouisyon for the war, hauynge valy∣aunt and experte men of war, euen foure hū∣dred thousande chosen men. And Ieroboam set hym selfe in araye to fyght agaynst hym, with eyght hundred thousande pycte men, whiche were stronge and men of armes.

And Abia stode by vpon Zemaraim an hill whiche is in mounte Ephraim, & sayde: heare me thou Ieroboam and al Israel. Do not ye

knowe howe that the Lorde God of Israell gaue the kyngdome (ouer them of Israel) to Dauid for euer: euen to hym & to his sonnes ☞ with a salted couenaunt? And Ieroboam [unspec B] the sonne of Nebat the seruaunt of Salomō the sonne of Dauid is rysen vp, & hath rebel led agaynst his lorde. And there gathered to hym lewde men, the chyldren of Belial, & pre∣uayled agaynst Rehoboam the son of Salo∣mon: when Rehoboam was yong and tender herted, and coulde not stande before them.

And nowe ye saye, that ye be able to pre∣uayle agaynst the kyngdome of the Lorde, which is in the hande of the sonn{is} of Dauid, and ye be a greate multitude, & haue the gol∣den calues, whiche Ieroboam made you for Gods. And haue ye not cast out the pree∣stes of the lorde the sonnes of Aaron, and the Leuites, & haue made you preestes after the maner of the nacyons of other land{is}? so that who soeuer cometh, & consecrateth his hande with a yonge oxe, & seuen rammes, the same may be a preest of them that are no Gods.

But we belonge vnto the Lorde our God, [unspec C] whom we haue not forsaken, & the preestes are the sonnes of Aaron, whiche ministre vn∣to the Lorde, & the Leuites wayte vpon theyr office. They burne vnto the lorde euery mor∣nyng and euenyng, burnt sacrifices, & swete sence: the shew breade set they in ordre vpon a pure table: and prepare the candelsticke of golde with the lampes of the same, to burne euer at euen. And truely we kepe the watche of the Lorde our God: but ye haue forsaken hym. And beholde, God hym selfe is our cap∣tayne, and his preest{is} blowe with the trom∣pettes, and crye alarum agaynst you. (O ye chyldrē of Israel) fyght not agaynst the lorde God of your fathers: for it wyl not prospete with you. But for all that, Ieroboam con∣uayed men priuely aboute, to come behynde them: and so they were before Iuda, and the layers in wayte were behynde them.

And when they of Iuda loked aboute, be∣holde, the battayle was before and behynde, and they cryed vnto the Lorde, & the preestes blewe with the trompett{is}, and the men of Iu¦da gaue a showte.

And as the men of Iuda showted, it came to passe, that God smote Ieroboam and all [unspec D] Israel before Abia and Iuda. And the chyl∣dren of Israel fled before Iuda, and God de∣liuered them in to theyr hand. And Abia and his people slue a great slaughter of them. There fell downe wounded of Israell, fyue hundred thousande chosen men. And so the chyldren of Israell were broughte vnder at that tyme, and the chyldren of Iuda preuay∣led, bycause they leaned vnto the Lorde God of theyr fathers. And Abia folowed after Ie∣roboam, and toke cityes from hym: Bethell with the townes belongynge therto, Iesana with the townes that longed therto, & Ephrō with her town{is}. And Ieroboam recouered no strength agayne in the dayes of Abia. And▪ the lorde plaged hym, and he dyed. But Abia waxed myghtye, & maryed. xiiii. wyues, & be∣gat. xxii. sonnes, &. xvi. doughtes. The rest of the actes of Abia, his customes & his sayeng{is} are wrytten in the storie of the prophet Iddo.

¶ Of Asa kynge of Iuda.

CAPI. XIIII. [unspec A]

SO Abia slepte with his fathers, and they buryed hym in the Citye of Dauid, and Asa his sonne reygned in his steade. In whose dayes the lande was in quietnesse ten yere. And Asa dyd that was good and ryght in the eyes of the Lorde his God: for he toke away straung aulters & the hyl aulters, & brake downe the ymages, and cut downe the groues, and cōmaunded Iuda to seke the lorde god of theyr fathers, & to do accordyng to the lawe & cōmaundmentes. And he put a∣way out of all the cityes of Iuda, the hyl aul∣ters and the ymages: and the kyngdom was quiet before hym. And he buylt strong cityes in Iuda: bycause the lande was in rest, and he had no warre in those yeres. For the lorde had gyued hym rest.

Therfore, he sayd to Iuda: let vs buylde [unspec B] these cityes, and make aboute them walles, towres, gates and barres, for the lande is yet in rest before vs, bycause we haue sought the Lorde our God: We haue sought hym / and he hath gyuen vs rest on euery syde. And so they buylte, and it prospered with them. And Asa had an armye of men that bare scheldes & speares, (out of Iuda) thre hundred thou∣sande, and out of Ben Iamin that bare schel¦des and drewe bowes, two hundred and. lxxx. thousande: all these were valiaunt men.

And there came out agaynst them Zarah [unspec C] the blacke Morian with an hoost of. x. hun¦dred thousande, and thre hundred charettes, and came as farre as Maresa. And Asa went out before hym, and they ioyned the battayle in the valley of Zephata besyde Maresa. And Asa cryed vnto the Lorde his God, and sayd: Lorde, it is no harde thynge with the to helpe eyther many, or them that haue no power: helpe vs therfore O Lorde God, for we trust to the, & in thy name we go agaynst this multitude. Thou arte the lorde our god and no man shall preuayle agaynst the.

So the Lorde smote the blacke Moores [unspec D] before Asa & Iuda, and the blacke Moores fled. And Asa and the people that was with hym, folowed after them vnto Gerar. And the blacke Moores hoost was ouerthrowen, that there was none of them lefte, but were destroyed before the lorde, & before his hoost. And they caryed away a myghty great pray. And they smote all the cityes rounde aboute Gerar. For the feare of the Lorde came vpon them. And they spoyled all the Cityes, and there was excedynge moche spoyle in them. They smote also the tentes of cattell, and ca∣ryed awaye plentye of shepe / and Camelles / and returned to Ierusalem.

¶ Kynge Asa by the monicion of the prophet Azaria sacrifyeth vnto the Lorde. He depryueth his mo∣ther of her dominyon.

CAPI. XV.

ANd the spirite of God came on Azaria [unspec A] the sonne of Oded. And he went out to mete Asa, and sayd vnto hym: heare me Asa, and all Iuda and Beniamin. The lorde is with you, whyle ye be with hym, and when ye seke hym, he wyll be founde of you: and a∣gayne, when ye forsake hym, he also wyll for∣sake you. And truely, for a long ceason in Is∣rael no man sought the true god, no man re∣garded the preest that taught them, no man cared for the lawe. And when any man in his trouble dyd turne vnto the Lorde god of Is∣rael and sought hym, he was founde of them And in that tyme there was no peace to hym that dyd go out and in. But great sedicyon was there among all the enhabitoures of the earth. And nacyon was destroyed of nacyon, and citye of citye: for god dyd moue all aduet syte amonge them. Play ye therfore the men, and let not your hand{is} slacke, for your worke shall be rewarded. [unspec B]

And when Asa herde those wordes, and the prophesie of Azaria / the son of Oded the prophet, he toke courage, and put awaye the abhominable ydolles out of all the lande of Iuda / and Beniamin / and out of the cityes whiche he wanne in mount Ephraim, and re∣nued the aulter of the Lorde, that was before the porche of the Lorde, And he gathered all Iuda and Beniamin, & the straungers with them out of Ephraim, Manasse and Simeon For there fell many to hym oute of Israell, when they sawe that the Lorde his god was with hym. So they assembled at Ierusalem the thyrde moneth, the fyftenth yeare of the reygne of Asa. And they offred vnto the lorde the same tyme of the spoyle whiche they had brought. vii. C. oxen, and. vii. M. shepe.

And they made a couenaunt to seke the lorde God of theyr fathers, with al theyr herte and all theyr soule: And who soeuer wolde not seke the lorde God of Israel, shulde dye for it whyther he were small or greate, man or wo∣man. And ☞ they sware vnto the Lorde with a loude voyce, showtyng and blowynge with trompettes and shaulmes.

And all they in Iuda reioysed at the othe, [unspec C] for they had sworne vnto the Lorde, with all theyr herte, & sought hym with all theyr lust, and he was founde of them. And the Lorde gaue them rest rounde aboute on euery syde. And kyng Asa put Maacha his mother out of auctoryte (bycause she had made an abho∣minable ydoll ❀ (of Priapus) in a groue, and Asa brake downe her ydoll, and stamped it, & burnt it at the broke Cedron. But all the hyll aulters were not taken away out of Israell: though the herte of Asa was perfyte all his dayes. And he brought in to the house of god the thynges that his father had dedicate, and that he hym selfe had dedicate: euen syluer, & golde, & Iuels. And there was no more war vnto the xxxv. yere of the reygne of Asa.

¶ Asa (for feare of Baasa kynge of Israell) maketh a couenaunt with Benhadad kynge of Siria.

CAPI. XVI.

IN the. xxxvi. yeare of the reygne of Asa, [unspec A] came Baasa kyng of Israel vp agaynst Iuda, & buylte Rama, to the entente that he wolde let none passe out or in ❀ (safely) to Asa kynge of Iuda. And Asa fet out golde & syluer, out of the treasures of the house of the Lorde, & of the kynges house, & sent to Ben∣hadad kyng of Siria that dwelte at ☞ Dar¦mese••, & sayde. There is a confideracion by∣twene me & the, bytwene my father & thyne. Beholde, I haue sent the syluer & golde, that [unspec B] thou wylte come & breake thyne appoyntmēt with Baasa kyng of Israell, that he may de∣parte from me. And Benhadad graunted vn¦to kyng Asa, & sent the captaynes of his ar∣mye to the cityes of Israell. And they smote Iion, Dā, & Abelmain, & the strong cityes of Nephthali. And when Baasa herde this, he lefte buyldynge of Rama, and let his worke cease. And then Asa the kynge toke all Iuda and caryed away the stones & tymbre of Ra∣ma (wherwith Baasa was a buyldyng:) and he bulte therwith Geba and Mizpa.

At that same tyme Hanani the seat came [unspec C] to Asa kyng of Iuda, and sayd vnto hym: by∣cause thou hast trusted in the kyng of Siria and not rather put thy trust in the Lorde thy God, therfore is the hoost of the kyng of Si∣ria escaped out of thyne hande.

Had not the blacke moores and ☞ Lubim an excedyng great hoost with many charets and horsmen? And yet bycause thou trustedst in the Lorde, he delyuered them in to thyne hande. For the eyes of the Lorde beholde all the earth, to strength them that are of parfite herte towarde hym. Herein thou hast done folysshly, and therfore from henceforth thou shalte haue warre. And Asa was wroth with [unspec D] the sear, and put hym in to the pryson house, for he was dyspleased with wym bycause of this thynge. And Asa destroyed certayne of the people the same ceason. And behold, these dedes of Asa, fyrst and last, are wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Iuda and Israel. And Asa in the. xxxix. yere of his reygne fell sycke in his feete, and that his dysease contynued very long. And in his syckenesse he sought not the Lorde, but Phisicians. And Asa slept with his Fathers, and dyed in the. xli. yeare of his reygne. And they buryed hym in his owne sepulchre (whiche he had made for hym selfe in the citye of Dauid) and layde hym in the bed which he had fylled with dyuers kyn¦des of spices and swete odoures, made by the crafte of the potecaries. And they burnt very moche spyce aboute hym.

¶ Iehosaphat causeth the feare of the Lorde to be renued amonge the people.

CAPI. XVII.

ANd Iehosaphat his sonne reygned in [unspec A] his steade, & preuayled agaynst Israel. And he put souldiours in al the stronge cityes of Iuda, and set rulers in the lande of Iuda, and in the cityes of Ephraim, whiche Asa his father had won. And the Lorde was with Iehosaphat, bycause he walked in the olde wayes of his father Dauid, and sought not Baalim. But sought the Lorde God of his father, and walked in his cōmaundemen¦tes: and not after the doynges of Israell.

And the Lorde stablysshed the kyngdome in his hande, and all they that were in Iuda, brought hym presentes, so that he had abun∣daunce of rychesse and honoure.

And he lyfte vp his herte vnto the wayes of the Lorde, and he put downe yet more of [unspec B] the hyll aulters and groues out of Iuda.

In the thyrde yere of his reygne he sente to his Lordes: euen to Benhail, Obadia, Zacha¦ria, Nethanel and to Michaahu, that they shulde teache in the cityes of Iuda: and with them he sent Leuites: euen Semeiahu, Ne∣thadiahu, Zabadiahu, Asahel, Semiramoth Iehonathan, Adoniahu, Thubiahu, Tuba∣donia, and with them Elisamah and Iehorā preestes. And they taught in Iuda, and had the boke of the lawe of God with them, and went aboute thorowout al the cities of Iuda and taught the people.

And the feare of the Lorde fell vpon all [unspec C] the kyngdomes of the lande that were round aboute Iuda, and they fought not agaynste Iehosaphat. And some of the Philistynes brought Iehosaphat gyftes, and tribute syl∣uer. And therto the Arabians brought hym shepe: euen seuen thousande, and seuen hun∣dred rammes, and seuen thousand and seuen hundred he gootes. And so Iehosaphat pro∣spered and grue vp on hygh. And he buylte in Iuda, castelles and stronge cityes, and he had great substaunce in the cityes of Iuda, but the men of armes, and strongest souldy∣ours were in Ierusalem.

And these are the offices of them in the hou¦ses [unspec D] of theyr Fathers, the captaynes ouer thou¦sandes in Iuda. Adna the captayn, and with hym of fyghtynge men thre hundred thou∣sande. And nexte to his hande was Iehoha∣nan a captayne, and with hym two hundred and. lxxx. thousande. And nexte hym was A∣mazia the son of Zichr: (whiche of his owne good wyll offered hym selfe vnto the Lorde) and with hym two hundred thousande mygh¦tye men of warre. And of the chyldren of Ben¦iamin, Eliada a mā of myght, and had with hym armed men with bowe and schelde two hundred thousande. And nexte hym was Ie∣hosabad, & with hym an hundred &. lxxx M. that were prepared for the war. These way∣ted on the kyng, besyde those which the kyng put in strong cityes thorowout all Iuda.

¶ After Ahab had asked counsel of the. LLLL▪ proph••••••, he put Michea in pryson. He dyeth with the s••ot of an arowe.

CAPI XVIII.

ANd Iehosaphat had abundaunce of ry¦chesse [unspec A] and honoure, and ioyned affinite with Ahab. And after certayne yeres he went downe to Samaria. And Ahab slue many shepe and oxen for hym, & for the peple that he had with hym, and entreated hym to go vp with hym to Ramoth in Gilead. And Ahab kynge of Israel sayde to Iehosaphat kyng of Iuda: wylte thou go with me to Ra∣moth in Gilead? And he answered hym: I wyl be as thou, & my people shal be as thyne, and we wyll go with the to the warre.

And Iehosaphat sayde vnto the kynge of Israell: aske counsayle I praye the, at the [unspec B] worde of the Lorde, this same daye. Therfore the kynge of Israell gathered togyther of prophettes foure hundred men, and sayd vn∣to them: shall we go to Ramoth in Gilead to fyght, or shulde I cease?

And they sayde, go vp and god shall delyuer it into the kynges hande. But Iehosephat sayde: is there yet here neuer a prophet more of the Lordes, that we myght aske at hym? And the kynge of Israel sayde vnto Iehosa∣phat: there is yet one man, by whom we may aske the Lorde: But I hate hym, for he neuer prophesyeth me good, but alwaye euyll, & the same is Mithea the sonne of Iimla. And Ie¦hosaphat sayde: let not the kynge say so. And the kynge of Israell called one of his cham∣berlaynes, and sayde: fetche hyther quycklye Michea the sonne of Iimla. And the kyng of Israel and Iehosaphat kyng of Iuda sat ey∣ther of them on his seate in theyr apparell, in a thresshyng floure besyde the gate of Sama¦ria, and all the prophettes prophesyed before them. And one Zedekia the son of Chanana [unspec C] had made hym hornes of yron, & sayde: thus sayth the Lorde: with these shalte thou ouer∣throw Siria, vntyl they be brought to nought And all the Prophettes prophesyed euen so, sayenge: Go vp to Ramoth in Gilead, and it shall prospere with the, for the lorde shall de∣lyuer it in to the hande of the kyng. And the messenger that went to call Michea, spake to hym, saynge. Beholde, the wordes of the pro∣phett{is} speake good to the kyng w^t one assent let thy wordes therfore be lyke one of theyrs, that thou speake that whiche is pleasaunt. And Miceha sayd: as truely as the Lorde ly∣ueth, euen what my God saythe, that wyll I speake. And when he was come to the kyng, the kyng sayd vnto hym: Michea, shulde we go to Ramoth in Gilead to fyght / or leaue of? And he sayd: go vp, and all shall be well, and they shal be delyuered in to your hande.

And the kyng sayd to hym. So & so many [unspec D] tymes do I charge the, that y^• saye nothynge but the truthe to me, in the name of the lorde.

Then he sayde: I dyd se all them of Israell scattered in the mountaynes, as shepe that haue no shepheerde. And the lorde sayd: these haue no mayster, let them returne euery man therfore to his house in peace. And the kynge of Israel sayd to Iehosaphat: dyd I not tell the, that he wolde not prophesye good vnto me, but euyll? But he sayde agayne: therfore heare ye the worde of the Lorde: I saw the Lorde syt vpon his seat, and al the company of heuen stode on his ryght hande, & on his lefte. And the Lorde sayde: who shall deceyue Ahab kynge of Israel, that he may go vp & be ouerthrowen at Ramoth in Gilead?

And he sayd: one sayth this, an other that. [unspec E] And there came out a spirite and stode before the Lorde, & sayde: I wyll deceyue hym. And the Lorde sayde vnto hym, Wherin? And he sayde: I wyl go out, and be a lyenge spirite in the mouth of all the prophett{is}. And the Lorde sayd, thou shalte deceyue hym and shalte pre∣uayle, go out, and do euen so. And nowe ther¦fore beholde, the Lorde hath put a lyenge spirite in the mouthes of al these thy prophet¦tes, and the Lorde hath spoken euyl agaynst the. And Zedekia the son of Chanana, wente to, and smote Michea vpon the cheke, & sayd: by what waye wente the spirite of the Lorde from me, to speake with the? And Michea sayd: thou shalte se the day when thou shalte go in from chambre to chambre, for to hyde thy selfe. And the kynge of Israel sayde: Take ye Michea, & brynge hym to Ammon [unspec F] the gouernoure of the citye, and to Ioas the kynges sonne, and ye shal say, thus sayth the kyng. Put this felowe in the pryson house, & fede hym with breade of affliction, & water of trouble, vntyll I come agayne in peace. And Michea sayde, yf thou come agayne in peace, then hath not the Lorde spoken to me. And he sayde: herken to••ye people euery one of you. And so the kyng of Israel & Iehosa∣phat the kynge of Iuda went vp to Ramoth in Gilead. And the kyng of Israel sayd vnto Iehosaphat: I must chaunge me when I go to the battayle, but se that thou haue thyne owne apparell vpon the.

And the kynge of Israell chaunged hym selfe, & they came to battayle. But the kynge of Siria had cōmaunded the captaynes of the charettes that were with hym, saynge: se that ye fyght not agaynste small, or greate, saue agaynst the kynge of Israell onely.

And when the captaynes of the charett{is} [unspec G] saw Iehosaphat, they sayd: it is the kynge of Israel, & therfore they compassed about hym to fyght. But Iehosaphat cryed out, and the Lorde helped hym: and God chased them a∣way from hym. For it came to passe, that whē the captaynes of the charett{is} perceyued that it was not the kynge of Israell, they turned backe agayne from hym. And a certayne mā drewe a bowe with all his myght, and smote the kynge of Israell bytwene the ioyntes of his habergeon. And he sayd to his charet mā¦turne thyne hande, that thou mayst cary me out of the hoost, for I am wounded. And the battell ceased that daye. Howbeit the kynge of Israel caused the charet to stande styll a∣gaynst the Siria••s vntyll euen. And about the tyme of the sonne goyng downe he dyed.

¶ After Iehosaphat was rebuked by the prophet Iehu, he called agayne the people to the honour▪ ••••g•• of the lorde god.

CAPI. XIX.

AND Iehosaphat the kynge of Iuda [unspec A] came home agayne in peace to Ierusa∣lem. And Iehu the sonne of Hanam the seat, went out to mete hym, and sayd to kyng Iehosaphat: Woldest thou helpe the vngod∣ly, and loue them that hate the Lorde? Ther∣fore is wrath come downe vpon the from be∣fore the Lorde. Neuerthelesse there are some good actes founde in the, in that thou haste ☞ hewen downe the groues out of the lande and hast prepared thyne herte to seke God.

And so Iehosaphat dwelt at Ierusalem, [unspec B] and turned and went out to the people from Beer seba to mount Ephraim, and brought them agayne vnto the Lorde God of theyr fathers. And he set Iudges in the lande, tho∣rowout all the strong cityes of Iuda, citye by citye, and sayd to the Iudges: take hede what ye do, for ye execute not the iudgementes of man, but of God, whiche is with you in the iudgement. Wherfore nowe let the feare of the lorde be vpon you, and take hede, and be doynge. For there is no vnryghteousnesse with the lorde our God that he shulde haue any respecte of persones, or take rewardes.

Moreouer, in Ierusalem dyd Iehosaphat set of the Leuites, and of the preestes and of [unspec C] the auncient fathers of Israel, in the iudge∣ment and cause of the Lorde. And they retur∣ned agayne to Ierusalem. And he charged them, saynge. Thus shal ye do in the feare of the Lorde, with the truthe and a pure herte: What cause soeuer come to you of your bre∣thren that dwel in theyr cities, bitwene blood & blood, bytwene lawe and cōmaundement, bytwene statutes and ordinaunces, ye shall warne them, that they trespasse not agaynste the Lorde, and so wrath come vpon you and on your brethren. [unspec D]

Thus do, and ye shall not offende. And beholde, Amaria the hygh preest is amonge you in all matters of the Lorde, and Zeba∣dia the son of Ismael, a ruler of the house of Iuda, he is ouer suche busynesses as cōcerne the kynge: there be offycers of the Leuites also before you. Take courage to you ther∣fore, and he doynge manfully: and the lorde shall be with suche as be good.

¶ The merueylou•••• ••ittorye that the lorde gaue Iehosapha•• kynge of Iuda agaynste the Moabites, and the Chyldren of Ammon, and them of Seir.

CAPI XX.

AFter this also it fortuned, that the chyl∣dren [unspec A] of Moab & the chyldren of Ammō and with them other of the Ammonites came agaynst Iehosaphat to battayle. And there came some that tolde Iehosaphat, sayenge: there cometh a great multitude agaynst the from the other syde the see, and out of Siria. And beholde, they be in Hasason Thamar, whiche is Engadi. And Iehosaphat feared, and set hym selfe to seke the Lorde, and pro∣clamed fastynge thorowout all Iuda. And they that were in Iuda, gathered them selues togyther, to aske counsayle of the Lorde.

And they came out of al the cityes of Iuda [unspec B] to make intercessyon to the Lorde. And Ieho¦saphat stode bytwene the congregacyon of Iuda and Ierusalem in the house of the lord before the newe courte, and sayde: O Lorde God of our fathers, arte not thou god in he∣uen, & reygnest not thou on al the kyngdoms of the hethen? And in thyne hande is power & myght, and there is no man that is able to withstand the. Arte not thou our God: which dydest cast out the enhabitours of this lande before thy people Israell, and gauest it to the seed of Abraham thy louer for euer? And they dwelte therin, and haue buylte the a temple therin for thy name, sayenge: If euyl come vpon vs, as the swerde of iudgement, pesti∣lence or hongre: then, yf we stande before this house in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house) and crye vnto the in oure tribulation / heate thou, and helpe.

And now beholde, the chyldren of Ammon [unspec C] and Moab and mount Seir (by whom thou woldest not let them of Israel go, when they came out of the lande of Egypte: but they de¦parted from them, and destroyed them not,) Se, how they rewarde vs, to come for to cast vs out of thy possessyon, which thou hast gy∣uen vs to enherite. O our god, wylt thou not iudge them / for we haue no myght agaynste this great company that cometh agaynst vs. Neyther wote we what to do: but our eyes be vnto the. And all Iuda stode before the lorde with theyr yong ones, theyr wyues and theyr chyldren: & there was Iehasiel the son of Za∣charia, the son of Benaia, the son of Ie••el, the son of Mathania, a Leuite of the sonn{is} of A∣saph, & vpō hym came the spirite of the lorde, euen in the myddes of the cōgregacyon. And he sayd: herken al Iuda, & ye enhabitours of Ierusalem, & thou kyng Iehosaphat: Thus sayth the lorde vnto you: be not afrayde, nor faynte herted by reason of this great multi∣tude, for the battayle is not yours, but gods.

To morowe go ye downe agaynste them: [unspec D] for they come vp at Ziz, and ye shall fynde them at the ende of the broke before the wyl∣dernesse of Ieruel. Ye shall not nede to fyght in this battayle: but step forth and stande, &

beholde the helpe of the Lorde which is with you: feare not, nor let your hertes fayle you, Oye of Iuda and of Ierusalem. Tomorow go out agaynst them: for the lorde wyll be w^t you. And Iehosaphat bowed his face to the earth, and all Iuda and the enhabitoures of Ierusalem fel before the lorde, worshyppyng the lorde. And the Leuites of the chyldren of the Cahathites and of the chyldren of the Co¦rahites stode vp, to prayse the Lorde God of Israell with a loude voyce on hye. And when they arose early in the mornynge, they gatte them out vnto the wyldernesse of Thekoa.

And as they went out, Iehosaphat stode, [unspec E] & sayd: heare me O Iuda, & ye enhabitoures of Ierusalem. Put your truste in the Lorde your God, that ye may be founde faythfull. Gyue credence to his prophettes, and so shall ye prospere. And he gaue the people counsell, and set some to synge vnto the Lorde, and to prayse hym in the beautie and holynesse, and to go out before the armye (as they went) and to say: prayse the Lorde, for his mercy lasteth euer. And what tyme as they began to laude and prayse, then the lorde styrred vp certayne of the chyldren of Ammon and Moab, which layde wayte for them that were of Mounte Seir: whiche were come agaynst Iuda. And they were ouerthrowen with strokes among them selues. For the chyldren of Ammon and Moab rose agaynst the enhabiters of mount Seir. And they siue and destroyed them. And when they had made an ende of the enhabi∣tours of Sier, euery one helped to destroy an other amonge them selues.

And when Iuda came to the edge of the [unspec F] wyldernesse, they loked vnto the multitude. And beholde they were dead carcasses fallen to the earth, & none escaped. And when Ieo∣saphat and his people came to take away the spoyle of them, they founde amonge them a∣bundaunce of goodes, rayment & pleasaunt Iuels, which they toke for them selues; more then they coulde cary away: so that they were thre dayes in gatheryng of the spoyle, it was so moche. And the fourth day they assembled in the valley of blessing, for there they blessed the Lorde. And therfore they called the name of the same place: the valley of blessyng vnto this day. And so all the men of Iuda & Ieru salem returned with Iehosaphat theyr heade for to go agayne to Ierusalem with gladnes: for the Lorde had made them to reioyse ouer theyr enemyes. And they came to Ierusalem with psaltryes and harpes, & shaulmes: euen vnto the house of the Lorde. And the feare of god fel in the kyngdomes of al landes, when they had herde that the lorde fought agaynst the enemyes of Israell. And so the realme of Iehosaphat was in tranquilyte: and his god gaue hym test on euery syde.

And Iehosaphat reygned vpon Iuda & was .xxxv. yere olde whē he began to reygne [unspec G] and reygned .xxv. yere in Ierusalem. And his mothers name was Asuba the doughter of Silhi. And he walked in the way of Asa his father and bowed not therfrom, doynge that whiche was ryght in the syght of the Lorde. Howbeit the hyll aulters were not taken a∣way, for the peple had not yet prepared theyr hertes vnto the God of theyr fathers. The rest of the actes of Ieosaphat fyrst and last, beholde they are wrytten among the sayeng{is} of Iehu the sonne of Hanani, whiche noted them in the boke of the kynges of Israel.

After this dyd Ieosaphat kyng of Iuda ioyne hym selfe with Ahaziahu kynge of Is∣raell, whose mynde was to do wyckedly. He coupled hym selfe with hym, to make shypp{is} to go to Tharsis. And they made the shypp{is} in Ezion Gaber. And Eliezer the son of Do∣danah of Maresa prophesied agaynst Ieho∣saphat, saynge: bycause thou hast ioyned thy selfe with Ahaziahu, the Lorde hath broken thy workes. And the shyppes were broken, that they were not able to go to Tharsis.

¶ Ieosaphat dyeth, and Iehoram succedeth hym, which putteth his brethren to death, & is oppressed of the Philistines, and dyeth of the Fly••••.

CAPI. XXI.

I Ehosaphat also slepte with his fathers, [unspec A] & was buryed with his fathers in the citie of Dauid, and Iehoram his son reygned in his steade: and he had brethren which were the sonnes of Iehosaphat: Asaria, Iehicl, Za¦charia, Asaria, Michael, and Sephattahu.

All these were the sonnes of Iehosaphat kynge of Iuda. And theyr father gaue them many great gyftes of golde, and syluer, and other specyal substaunce, with stronge cityes in Iuda: But the kyngdome gaue he to Ie∣horam, for he was the eldest. And Iehoram arose vp agaynst the kyngdom of his father and preuayled, and slue al his brethren with the swerde, and dyuers of the Lordes of Is∣raell. Iehoram was two and thyrtye yere olde when he began to reygne, & he reygned eyght yere in Ierusalem.

And he walked in the way of the kynges [unspec B] of Israell, lyke as dyd the house of Ahab (for he had the doughter of Ahab to wyfe) and he wroughte euyll in the eyes of the Lorde.

Howbeit the Lorde wolde not destroye the house of Dauid, bycause of the couenaunt

that he had made with Dauid, as he promy∣sed to gyue a lyght to hym, and to his sonnes for euer. In his dayes the Edomites re∣belled, when they were vnder the dominion of Iuda, and made them selues a kyng. And Iehoram went forth with his lordes, and all his charettes were with hym: and arose vp by nyght, and smote the Edomites, whiche compassed hym in, and the captaynes of the charettes. But Edom rebelled styll, so that they wolde not be vnder the hande of Iuda vnto this daye.

That same tyme also dyd Libna departe from beyng vnder his hande, Bycause Ieho¦ram [unspec C] had forsaken the Lorde God of his fa∣thers. Moreouer, he made hyll aulters in the cityes of Iuda, & caused the enhabitours of Ierusalem to commyt fornicacyon, and pro∣uoked Iuda to Idolatrie. And there came a wrytyng to hym from Elia the prophet, say∣enge. Thus sayth the Lorde God of Dauid thy father: bycause thou hast not walked in the wayes of Iehosaphat thy father, and in the wayes of Asa kynge of Iuda, but wal∣kedst in the wayes of the kynges of Israel, & hast made Iuda & the dwelleis of Ierusalem to go a hooryng, lyke to the hooredome of the house of Ahab, & hast sleyne thy brethren (euē thy fathers house) whiche were better then y^u: Beholde, with a great plage wyll the Lorde smyte thy folke, thy chyldren, thy wyues and thy goodes. And y^u shalte suffre great payne: euch a disease of thy bowels, vntyl thy gutt{is} falout by reason of thy sycknes, day by day.

And so the Lorde styrred vp agaynst Ie∣horam [unspec D] the spirite of the Philistines, the Ara∣bians that were besyde the blacke Moores. And they came vp into Iuda, & wasted it, & caried away al the substaūce that was found in the kynges house, and his sonnes, and his wyues: so that there was neuer a sonne lefte hym, saue Iehoahaz whiche was the yongest among his sonnes. And after all these thyn∣ges, the lorde smote hym in his bowels with an vncurable disease. And it came to passe, that in processe of tyme (euen after the ende of .ii. yere) his guttes fell out in his sycknes: & so he dyed of very euyll dyseases. And they made no ☞ burnynge for hym lyke the bur∣nynge of his fathers. When he began to reygne, he was .xxxii. yere olde, and reygned in Ierusalem .viii. yere, and lyued wretched∣ly: Howbeit they buryed hym in the citye of Dauid: but not amonge the Sepulchres of the kynges.

¶ Ahaziahu reygneth in the roume of Iehorain. Ieh•••• kynge of Israell kylleth Ahaziahu. Athalia putteth to death all the the ••ynges lyu••ge, onely Ioas ••••capcth.

CAPI. XXII.

ANd the enhabitoures of Ierusalem made Ahaziahu his yonge son kyng in [unspec A] his steade. For the men of warre that came w^t the hoost of the Arabians, had sleyne al his eldest sonnes. And so Ahaziahu the son of Iehorā kyng of Iuda, was made kynge. ☞ Xlii. yere olde was he, when he began to reygne, & he reygned one yere in Ierusalem. His mothers name was Athalia the dough∣ter of Amri. And he walked also in the wayes of the house of Ahab, for his mother (by her coūsayle) entysed hym to do wyckedly. Wher fore he dyd that which was euyl in the syght of the lorde, as did they that were of the house of Ahab: for they were his coūsaylours after the death of his father, to his destruccion.

And he walked after theyr counsayle, and [unspec B] went with Iehorā son of Ahab kynge of Is∣rael, to fyght agaynst Hazael kyng of Siria at Ramoth in Gilead: & the Sirians smote Iorā. And he returned to be healed in Iezreel of the woundes whiche were gyuen hym at Rama, when he fought with Hazael kyng of Siria. And Ahaziahu the son of Iehorā king of Iuda went downe to se Iehoram the son of Ahab at Iezreel, bycause he was diseased. And it came of God, that Ahaziahu shulde be despysed for his comyng to Iehorā: for when be was come, he went out w^t Iehorā agaynst Iehu the sonne of Nimsi, whom the Lorde had anoynted to destroy the house of Ahab.

And so it came to passe that whē Iehu was [unspec C] executyng iustice vpon the house of Ahab, & had founde the lordes of Iuda & the sonnes of the brethren of Ahaziahu that waytch on Ahaziahu, he slue them, And he sought Aha¦ziahu, & they caught hym where he was hyd in Samaria, and brought hym to Iehu. And when they had sleyne hym, the buryed hym: Bycause (sayd they) he is, the son of Iehosa∣phat, which sought the lorde with al his hert. And the house of Ahaziahu had no power to kepe styll the kyngdome. But when Atha∣lia the mother of Ahaziahu, sawe that her son [unspec D] was dead, she arose & destroye all the kynges ••eed in the kynred of the house of Iuda. And Iehosabeath the doughter of the kyng, toke Ioas the son of Ahaziahu, & stale hym from among the kynges sonnes that were ••ley••••, & put hym and his nurce in a preuy ••hambre. And so Iehosabeath the doughter of kynge Iehoram, the wyfe of Iehoida the preest & the syster of Ahaziahu hyd hym fro Athalia that he was nor sleyne. And so he was with them hyd in the house of God syxe yere. And Athalia reygned ouer the lande.

¶ Ioas the sonne of Ahaziahu is made kynge. Athalia is put to death.

CAPI. XXIII.

ANd in the seuenth yere Iehoiada be∣ynge [unspec A] bolde, toke the captaynes of hun∣dredes, Azariahu the son of Ieroham, & Ismael the sonne of Iehohanam, Azariahu the sonne of Obed Maasiahu the son of Ada iahu, and Elisaphat the sonne of Zichri, and made a bonde with them. And they wente a∣boute in Iuda, and gathered the Leuites out of all the cityes of Iuda, and the auncient fa¦thers of Israel: and they came to Ierusalem. And al the congregacion made a bonde with the kynge in the house of God. And he sayde vnto them: beholde, the kynges sonne muste reygne, as the lorde hath sayde of the chyl∣dren of Dauid.

This is it therfore that ye shall do: The [unspec B] thyrde parte of you shall (on the Sabboth) come to the preestes, Leuites, and kepers of the porches: And an other thyrde parte shall be by the kynges house, and an other thyrde parte shall be at the gate of the foundacion, & all the people shall be in the courtes of the house of the Lorde. But there shal none come into the house of the lorde, saue the preestes, & they that ministre vnto the Leuit{is}: They shal go in, for they are holy: but al the people shal kepe the watche of the Lorde. And the Leui∣tes shall compasse the kyng rounde aboute, and euery man shall haue his weapon in his hande: and what other mā soeuer doth come into the house of the Lorde, he shal be sleyne: & let them be with the kyng, when he cometh in, and when he goeth out. And the Leuites & all Iuda dyd accordynge to all thynges that Iehoiada the preest had cōmaunded, & toke euery man his men, that came in on the Sab¦both, with them that wente out on the Sab∣both day: neyther did Iehoiada the preest let the companies departe.

And Ieohoiada the Preest delyuerrd to [unspec C] the captaynes of hundreds, speares, scheldes and buckelers, that had perteyned to kynge Dauid, and were in the house of god. And he set al the people, euery man hauyng his wea∣pon in his hande, from the ryght syde of the temple to the lefte syde of the temple, alonge by the aulter, & the temple, rounde about the kynge. And they brought out the kynges son and put vpon hym the crowne, and ☞ the testimonie, ❀ (and they gaue hym in his hande, the lavv that vvas to be kepte,) and made hym kynge. And Iehoiada & his sonnes annoyn∣ted hym and sayde: God saue the kynge. When Athalia herde the noyse of the people, runnyng •• praysynge the kynge, she came to the people in to the house of the Lorde. And she loked, and beholde, the kynge stode in his place at the entrynge in, and the Lordes, and the trompettes were by the kyng, and all the people of the lande reioysed, blowynge with trompettes, and dyd play with instrumentes of musyke, and taught to synge and prayse. [unspec D]

But Athalia rent her clothes, and sayde: treason, treason. And Iehoiada the Preest went out to the captaynes of hundredes that were gouernours of the hoost, and sayde vn∣to them: haue her out without the dore of the temple: and who so foloweth her, let hym be sleyne with the sweth. For the preest sayd that they shuld not sley her in the house of the lord And they layde handes on her, tyll she was come to the entryng of the horse gate besyde the kynges house, and there they slue her.

And Iehoiada made a bonde bytwene hym and all the people & the kynge, that they shulde be the lordes people. And all the peo∣ple went to the house of Baal, and destroyed it, and brake his aulters and his ymages, & slue Mathan the Preest of Baal before the aulters And Iehoiada put the offices for the house of the lorde vnder the hande of the pree¦stes and Leuites, as Dauid had distribu∣ted them in the house of the Lorde, to offer [unspec E] burnte offerynges vnto the Lorde / as it is wrytten in the law of Moses, with reioysyng and syngyng, as it was ordeyned by Dauid. And he set porters by the gates of the house of the Lorde, that none whiche was vncleane in any thyng shulde entre in. And he toke the captaynes of hundreds, and all the nobles, and the gouernours of the people, and al the folke of the lande, & caused the kyng to come downe out of the house of the lorde, and they came thorowe the hygh gate in to the kyng{is} house, and set the kyng vpon the scate of the kyngdome. And all the people of the lande re¦ioysed, and the citye was in tranquilite, after that they had sleyne Athalia with the swerde,

¶ Ioas durynge the lyfe of Iehoiada, kepeth the lawe, but after his death he regardeth it not. He kylleth za••••a••••a the prophet. Ioas is kylled of his owne seruauntes: and after hym reygneth Amaziahu.

CAPI. XXIIII.

IOas was seuen yere olde when he began [unspec A] to reygne, and he reygned fourtye yere in Ierusalē. His mothers name also was Zibia of Beer seba. And Ioas dyd that which was ryght in the syght of the Lorde all the dayes of Iehoiada the preest▪ And Iehoiada toke hym two wyues, and he begat sonnes & doughters. And it chaunsed after this, that Ioas was mynded, to renew the house of the

Lorde and he gathered togyther the preestes and the Leuites, and sayde to them: go out vnto the cityes of Iuda, and gather of al Is∣raell money, to repayre the house of your god from yere to yere: & se that ye hast the thynge: howbeit the Leuites were slacke.

And the kynge called Iehoiada that was [unspec B] the cheyfest and sayde vnto hym: Why requi∣rest thou not of the Leuites to brynge in, out of Iuda and Ierusalem, the collectyon of money, accordynge to the cōmaundement of Moses the seruaunt of the lorde, and the con¦gregacion of Israel shulde offre it for the ta∣bernacle of wytnesse. For wyeked Athalia and her chyldren brake vp the house of god / and all the thyng{is} that were dedicate for the house of the Lorde, dyd they bestow for Bea∣lim. And at the kyng{is} cōmaundement, they made a chyst, and set it without at the gate of the house of the Lorde: and made proclama∣cyon thorowe Iuda & Ierusalem, to brynge into the Lorde the taxacyon of money, that Moses the seruaunt of god set vpon Israell in the wyldernesse. And the lordes and al the peple reioysed, and brought in, and cast in to the chyst, vntyll it was full.

And it fortuned, that at the same tyme they [unspec C] brought the chyst (vnto them whiche were in the kynges busynesse) by the hande of the Le¦uites: And when they sawe that there was moche money, the kynges Scrybe (and one apoynted by the hygh preest) came & emptied the chyst, and toke it, & caryed it to his place agayne: thus they dyd day by daye, & gathe∣red moche money. And the kynge and Ieho∣iada gaue it to soche as dyd the laboure and worke in the house of the lorde, and hyred ma¦sons and carpenters to repayre the house of the Lorde, and so dyd they artifycers in yron and brasse, to mende the house of the Lorde.

And so the workemen wrought, and the worke mended thorowe theyr handes, & they [unspec D] made the house of god as it ought to be, and strengthed it. And when they had finished it / they brought the rest of the money before the kynge & Iehoiada, and therwith were made vessels for the house of the Lorde: euen ves∣sels to minyster withall, & to serue for burnt offerynges: chargers and spones, vessels of golde and syluer. And they offered burntoffe tynges in the house of the lorde continuallye all the dayes of Iehoiada. But Ieoiada wax¦ed olde, and dyed full of dayes. For an hun∣dred and xxx. yere olde was he when he dyed.

And they buryed hym in the citye of Da∣uid [unspec E] amonge the kynges, bycause he delt well with Israel, and with God & with his house.

And after the death of Iehoiada, came the lordes of Iuda, and made obeysaunce to the kynge. And the kynge herkened vnto them. And so they lefte the house of the Lorde God of theyr fathers, and serued groues & ydols. And then came the wrath of God vpon Iu∣da and Ierusalem, for this theyr trespasses sake. And he sent Prophett{is} to them to bryng them agayne vnto the Lorde. And they testy∣fyed vnto them: But they wolde not heare. And the spiryte of god came vpon Zacharia the sonne of Iehoiada the Preest, which stode by the people, and sayde vnto them: Thus sayth god: why transgresse ye the cōmaunde∣mentes of the lorde, that ye can not prospere?

For bycause ye haue forsaken the Lorde, [unspec F] he also hath forsaken you. And they con∣spyred agaynst hym, and stoned hym with sto¦nes, at the cōmaundement of the kyng: euen in the courte of the house of the lorde. And so Ioas the kynge remembred not the kynd∣nesse whiche Iehoiada his father had done to hym, but slue his son. And when he dyed / he sayde: the Lorde loke vpon it, and require it. And when the yeare was out, it fortuned / that the hoost of Siria came vp agaynst hym: and they came agaynst Iuda & Ierusalem / and destroyed all the Lordes of the people from amonge the people, & sent all the spoyle of them vnto the kynge to Damasco.

For the Sirians came with a small com∣panye of men, and the Lorde delyuered a ve∣ry great hoost into theyr hande, bycause they had forsaken the Lorde god of theyr fathers. And moreouer they serued Ioas accordynge.

And when they were departed from hym, [unspec G] they lefte hym in great dyseases: & his aw••e seruaunt{is} cōspired agaynst him for the blode of the chyldren of Iehoiada the Preest, & slue hym on his bed, and he dyed, and they buried hym in the citye of Dauid: but not in the se∣pulchres of the kynges. And these are they that conspyred agaynst him: Zebad the sonne of Simeath an Ammonite, and Iehosaba•• the Sonne of Simrith a Moabite. And his sonnes, and the summe of the taxe that was raysed in his tyme, and the repayrynge of the house of God, behold, they are wrytten in the storye of the booke of the kynges. And Ama∣ziahu his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Amaziahu ouercometh the Edomites. And Ioas hynge of Israell ouercometh Amaziahu.

CAPI. XXV.

AMaziahu was .xxv. yeare olde when he [unspec A] began to reygne, and he reygned .xxix. yere in Ierusalem. His mothers name was Iehodadan of Ierusalem. And he dyd that

whiche is ryght in the syght of the lorde: but not with a perfyte herte. And as soone as he was satled in the kyngdome, he slue his ser∣uauntes, that had kylled the kyng his father But he slue not theyr chyldren, bycause it is wrytten thus in the lawe / & boke of Moses / where the Lorde cōmaunded, saynge:

The fathers shall not dye for the chyl∣dren, [unspec B] neyther shal the chyldren dye for the fa∣thers, but euerye man shall dye for his owne syn: And Amaziahu gathered Iuda togyther and made them captaynes ouer thousandes and ouer hundreds, accordyng to the houses of theyr Fathers, thorowout all Iuda, and Bemamin. And he nombred them from. xx. yeare olde, and aboue: and founde amonge them, thre hundred thousande chosen men / able to goo to battayle, & that coulde handle speare and shelde. He hyred also an hundred thousande stronge fyghtyng men out of Is∣raell, for an hundred talentes of syluer.

And there came a man of god to hym, and [unspec C] sayde: O kynge, let not the armye of Israell come with the: for the lorde is not with Isra∣ell, neyther with all the house of Ephraim. But yf thou wylte nedes be faythlesse, come on, and take the battayle in hande, and God shall make the fall before the enemye. For god hath power to helpe, and to cast downe. And Amaziahu sayd to the man of god: what shall we do then, for the hundred talentes / whiche I haue gyuen for the hoost of Israel? The man of god answered: the Lorde is able to gyue the moche more then they be. And A∣maziahu seuered them to the armye that was come to hym out of Ephraim, to go home a∣gayne. Wherfore they were excedyng wroth with Iuda, & returned home in great angre.

And Amaziahu toke herte and caryed out [unspec D] his people, and went to the salte valley, and smote of the chyldren of Seir ten. M. And other ten. M. dyd the chyldren of Iuda take alyue, & caryed them vnto the top of a rocke / & cast them downe from the top of the rocke, that they all to braste: But the souldyers of the armye whiche Amaziahu sent away, that they shuld not go with his peple to battayle, fell vpon the cuyes of Iuda, from Samaria vnto Bethhoron, and smote thre thousande of them, and toke moch spoyle.

And it chaūced, after that Amaziahu was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the chyldren of Seir, and set them vp to be his Gods, and bowed hym selfe before them, and burned cense vn∣to them. Wherfore the lorde was wroth with Amaziahu & sent vnto hym a prophet, which sayde vnto hym: why hast thou sought the gods of the people, whiche were not able to delyuer theyr owne peple out of thyne hand? And it chaunced, that as the Prophet talked with hym, the kynge sayde vnto hym: haue men made the of the kyng{is} counsayle? cease, why wylte thou be beaten? And the Prophet ceased, and sayd: I am sure that god is myn∣ded to destroye the, bycause thou haste done this, and agreest not vnto my counsayle.

Then Amaziahu Kynge of Iuda toke aduyse, and sent to Ioas the sonne of Iehoa∣haz [unspec E] the sonne of Iehu kynge of Israell, and sayde: come, that we maye se eyther other. And Ioas kynge of Israell sent to Amazia∣hu kynge of Iuda, sayenge: a thystle that is in Libanon, sente to a Cedar tree of Libanō, sayenge: gyue thy doughter to my sonne to wyfe. And there came a wylde beast of Liba∣non, and trode downe the thystle. Thou sayst that thou hast beaten the Edomites, & thyne herte maketh the proude, to gloryfy thy selfe. Now therfore byde at home: why doest thou prouoke vnto euyl, that thou mayst peryshe, bothe thou, and Iuda with the?

But Amaziahu wolde not herken to him: for it came of god, euen to deliuer them in to the [unspec F] hande of theyr enemyes, bycause they sought coūsayle at the gods of Edom. And so Ioas the kynge of Israell came vp: and they sawe eyther other, bothe he and Amaziahu kynge of Iuda at Bethsames whiche is in Iuda. And Iuda was put to the worse before Israel & they fled euery man to his tent. And Ioas the kynge of Israell to the Amaziahu kynge of Iuda the sonne of Ioahas the Sonne of Iehoahas at Bethsames: and brought hym to Ierusalem, and tare the walle of Ierusa∣lem (from the gate of Ephraim vnto the gate that was ouer agaynst it) foure hundred cu∣bytes. And he toke also al the golde & syluer / & al the Iuels that were founde in the house of God with Obed Edom, and the treasures [unspec G] of the kynges house, and the yonge wardes, and returned to Samaria.

And Amaziahu the sonne of Ioas kynge of Iuda lyued after the death of Ioas sonne of Iehoahaz kynge of Israell fyftye yeare. The rest of the actes of Amaziahu fyrst and last, are they not wrytten in the booke of the kynges of Iuda and Israell? And after the tyme that Amaziahu dyd turne away frō the lorde, they conspyred treason agaynst hym in Ierusalem: & when he was fled to Lachis they sent to Lathis after him, & slue him there and brought him vp with horses, and buryed hym with his fathers in the citye of Iuda.

¶ After the death of Amaziahu reygneth ••••zia (other∣wyse called Ozia) whiche is stryhen with the ••eper, and Io••ham reygneth in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 r••••••e.

CAPI. XXVI.

THen all the people of Iuda toke Uzia [unspec A] (whiche was syxtene yeare olde) and made him kyng in the roume of his fa∣ther Amaziahu. And he buylte Eloth, and brought it agayne to Iuda, after the kynge was layd to slepe with his fathers. Syrtene yere olde was Uzia, whē he began to reygne, and he reygned. ••i••. yeare in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Iecholia of Ierusa∣lem. And he dyd that whiche was ryght in the syght of the lorde accordyng to alas dyd his father Amaziahu. And it came to passe, that he sought god & in the dayes of Zacha∣riahu (whiche maynteyned the feare of god) and as longe as he sought the Lorde, God made hym to prospere.

And he went to battayle agaynst the phi∣listines, [unspec B] and brake downe the wall of Geth / and the wall of Iabne, & the wall of Asdod / and buylt cityes aboute Asdod and amonge the Philistin{is}. And god helped hym agaynst the Philistines, and agaynst the Arabians that dwelte in Gurbaal and Hammehunim. And the Ammonytes gaue tribute to Uzia, & his name spred abrode euen to the entryng in of Egypt: for he played the man excedyngly. Moreouer Uzia buylte towres in Ierusalem by the corner gate, & by the valley gate / and at the turnynge of the wall, and made them stronge. And he buylte to wres in the wylder¦nesse, and dygged many welles: For he had moche cattell, in the valleyes and playnes / plowmen and vynedressers in the mountay∣nes, & in Charmell, for he loued husbandrye.

And Uzia had an hoost of fyghtynge men that went out to warre in the armaye accor∣dynge [unspec C] to the nombre of theyr offyce / vnder the hande of Ieiell the scrybe and Maasiahu the ruler, and vnder the hande of Hanania / whiche was one of the kynges Lordes. And the hole nombre of the auncyent fathers, and of the men of myght were two thousand and syxe hundred, and vnder the hande of them was the armye of the men of war, euen thre hundred and seuen thousande, and fyue hun¦dred that made war with the power of an ar∣mye, helpyng the kyng agaynst the enemyes

And Uzia prouyded them thorowout all the hoost, sheldes, speares, helmettes, ••aber∣geons, bowes and slynges for to cast stones. And he made subtel engynnes in Ierusalem, whiche he inuented and layde on the towres and corners, to shute arowes & greate stones with all. And his name spred far abrode, by∣cause he was helped so excellently, so that he became very myghtye. But in his strength / his herte arose to his destructtō: for he trans∣gressed agaynst the lorde his god, & went into the temple of the Lorde, to burne cense vpon the aulter of incense. And Azariahu the preest went in after hym, and with hym foure score preestes of the lorde that were valeaunt men. And they stode by Uzia the kynge, & sayd vn¦to hym: It perteyneth not to the Uzia / to burne cense vnto the lorde, but to the preestes the chyldren of Aaron, that are consecrate for to offre incense. Come therfore out of the sanc¦tuarye, for thou hast trespassed, and it is no worshyp to the before the lorde god.

And Uzia was wroth, & had cense in his [unspec D] hande to burne it: & so whyle he had indyng∣nacyon agaynst the Preestes, the leprosye sprange in his foreheade before the Preestes in the house of the Lorde, euen besyde the in∣cense aulter. And Azariahu the cheyfe preest with all the other Preestes loked vpon hym: and beholde, he was become a Leper in his forheade, and they vexed hym thence. And he was fayne to go out, bycause the Lorde had smytten hym. And Uzia the kynge cōtynued a leper vnto the daye of his death, and dwelt seuerall in a house beynge a leper and shu••ts out of the house of the lord. And Iotham his sonne had the gouernaunce of the Kynges house, and iudged the people of the land. The rest of the actes of Uzia fyrst & last / dyd Isai the prophet the sonne of Amos, wryte. And so Uzia slept with his fathers, and they buryed hym with his fathers in the felde of the bu∣ryall which was besyde the sepulchres of the kynges. For they sayde: he is a leper. And Io¦tham his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Iotham reygneth, and ouert••meth the Ammo••ytes. Ahaz his sonne reygneth aftre hym.

CAPI. XXVII.

I Otham was fyue and twentye yere olde / [unspec A] when he began to reygne, and reygned syxtene yeare in Ierusalem. His mothers name also was Ierusa the doughter of Za∣doc. And he dyd that which was ryght in the syght of the lorde / in all poyntes as dyd his father Uzia: saue that ☞ he came not into the temple of the Lorde, and the people dyd yet wyckedly.

He buylte the bygh gate of the temple of the lorde, and on the wall (where the house of [unspec B] ordynaunce was) he buylte mach. Moreouer he buylte cityes in the mountaynes of Iuda, and in the wood coūtrey he buylt castels, and towres. He fought w^t the kyng of the chyldrē

of Ammon, & preuayled agaynst them. And the chyldren of Ammon gaue hym the same yeare an hundred talentes of syluer, and ten thousande quarters of wheate, and ten thou∣sande of batley. So moche dyd the chyldren of Ammon gyue hym the second yere and the thyrde also.

So Iotham became myghtye, bycause he [unspec C] directed his waye before the Lorde his God. The rest of the actes of Iotham and all his warres, & his conuersacion, so, they are wryt∣ten in the boke of the kynges of Israell, and Iuda. He was. xxv. yere olde when he began to reygne, and reygned syxtene yere in Ieru∣salem. And Iotham slepte with his fathers, and they buryed hym in the citye of Dauid: and Ahaz his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ The wyckednesse of Ihaz kynge of Iuda. After hym reygneth Heze••••a.

CAPI. XXVIII.

AHaz was twentye yeare olde when he [unspec A] began to reygne, and reygned syxtene yere in Ierusalem, and he dyd not that whiche is ryght in the syght of the Lorde, as dyd his father Dauid: For he walked in the wayes of the kynges of Israell, and made molten ymages for Baalim. He offered in∣cense in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom / and burnt his chyldren in fyre after the ab∣homynacyons of the Heathen, whome the lorde cast out before the Chyldren of Israell. He offred also, & burnte incence in hylaulters and on mountaynes / and vnder euery grene tre. Wherfore the lorde his god delyuered hym into the hande of the kynge of the Si∣rians whiche bet hym, and caryed awaye a great multitude of his captiue, and brought them to Damasco. And he was delyuered in to the hande of the kynge of Israell, whiche smote hym with a great slaughter. For Pe∣kah the sonne of Remaliahu slue in Iuda an C, and twentye thousand in one day, whiche were all fyghtynge men, & that bycause they had forsaken the lorde god of theyr fatheyrs. And Z••chri a myghtye man of Ephraim slue Maasiahu the kynges sonne, and Asrica the gouernoure of the house, & Elcana that was nexte to the kynge.

And the Chyldren of Israell toke pryso∣ners [unspec B] of theyr brethren, C C. thousande wo∣men, sonnes, & doughters, and caryed awaye moch spoyle of them, and brought the spoyle to Samaria. But there was a prophet of the Lordes (whose name was Obed) & he went out before the hoost that came to Samaria / and sayde vnto them: Beholde, bycause the Lorde God of youre Fathers is wroth with Iuda, he hath delyuered them in to youre hande. And ye haue slayne them with cruel∣nesse, that reacheth vp to heuen. And now ye purpose to kepe vnder the chyldren of Iuda and Ierusalem, and to make them bondmen and bondwomen. And do ye not lade youre selues with syn in the syght of the lorde your God? Nowe heare me therfore, and delyuer the captyues agayne whiche ye haue taken of your brethren: for els shall the great wrath of God be vpon you. Wherfore, certayne of the heades of the Chyldren of Ephraim, as Azaria the sonne of Iehohanan, Berechiahu the sonne of Mesillemoth, and Iehezkiah•• the sonne of Sallum, and Amasa the sonne of Hadlai, stode vp agaynst them that came from the war, and sayde vnto them: brynge not in the captyues hyther.

For where as we haue offended towarde [unspec C] god all redye, ye entende to adde more to our synnes & trespasse. For our trespasse is great all redye, and there is a fearce wrath agaynst Israell. And vpon that the men of armes lefte the captyues / and the spoyle before the Lordes and all the congregacyon. And the men that were nowe reheat••ed by name, rose vp & toke the prysones, and (with the spoyle) clothed all that were naked amonge them / and arayde them, and shoed them, and gaue them to eate & to drynke, and anoynted them, and caryed all that were feble of them vpon Asses, and brought them to Ierico (the citye of Paulme trees) to theyr brethren: and then they returned to Samaria agayne.

At that same tyme dyd kyng Ahaz sende vnto the kynges of Assur, to haue helpe of them. And the Edomites came agayne, and slue some of Iuda, and caryed awaye capty∣ues. And the Philistines inuaded the cityes in the lowe countrey, and towarde the south of Iuda: and toke Bethsames, and Aialon / and Gederoth, and Socho with the townes longyng therto, and Thimna with the tow∣nes of the same: Gimso, and the townes ther∣of, and dwelte there. For the Lorde brought Iuda lowe, bycause of Ahaz kynge of Iuda, whiche made Iuda naked, and transgressed fore agaynst the Lorde.

And Thilgath pylneser kynge of the As∣sirians [unspec D] came vpon hym, and beseyged hym, and he was not myghtye ynough for hym.

For Ahaz toke awaye a porcyon oute of the house of the Lorde, and oute of the Kynges house, and out of the lordes houses and gaue vnto the kynge of the Assiryans: and yet it helped hym not. And in the verye tyme of his tribulacion dyd kynge Ahaz trespasse yet

more agaynst the Lorde. For he offered vnto the Gods of them of Damasco, whiche bette hym, and he sayde: bycause the Gods of the kynges of Siria helpe them, therfore wyl I offer to them, that they maye helpe me also. But they were his destruction, & the destruc∣cyon of all Israell. And Ahaz gathered togy∣ther the vessels of the house of God, & brake them, and shut vp the dores of the house of the Lorde, and made hym aulters in euery corner of Ierusalem. And in all the cityes of Iuda he made hyll aulters, to burne incense vnto other Gods, and angred the Lorde god of his fathers. The rest of his actes and his workes fyrst and last: beholde, they are wryt∣ten in the booke of the kynges of Iuda and Israell. And Ahaz slepte with his fathers, & they buryed hym in the citye of Ierusalem: but brought hym not vnto the sepulchres of the kynges of Iuda. And Hezekia his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Hezehia (otherwyse called Ezechias, or Ieh••zki••ah••••) re∣storeth vnto the temple of the Lorde all the thynges that had not ben regarded of his predeceslouts.

CAPI. XXIX.

HEzekia began to reygne, when he was [unspec A] fyue and twentye yeare olde, and reyg∣ned nyne and twentye yeare in Ierusa∣lem. And his mothers name was Abia the doughter of Zachariahu, and he dyd that, whiche was ryght in the syght of the Lorde, in all poyntes as dyd Dauid his father. He opened the dores of the house of the Lorde (in the fyrst yere & fyrst moneth of his reygne) and repayred them. And he brought in the preestes and the Leuites, and gathered them togyther into the East strete: and sayde vnto them: Heare me ye Leuites, & nowe be sancti∣fyed, and halowe the house of the lorde God of your fathers, and brynge fylthynesse out of the holy place. For oure fathers haue tres∣passed, and done euyll in the eyes of the lorde our God: and haue forsaken hym, and tur∣ned awaye theyr faces from the habitacyon of the lorde, and turned theyr backes on it.

And besyde that they haue shutte vp the [unspec B] dores of the porch, and quenched the lampes and haue neyther burned cense, nor offered burntofferynges in the holye place vnto the God of Israell. Wherfore the wrath of the Lorde fell on Iuda and Ierusalem: and he hath brought them to trouble: to be wondred on, & to be hyssed at, euen as ye se with your eyes, For, lo, oure fathers were ouerthrowen with the swerde, and our sonnes, our dough∣ters and our wyues were caryed awaye cap∣tyue for the same cause. And nowe it is in my herte, to make a couenaunte with the Lorde God of Israell: that he maye turne away his heuye indygnacyon from vs. Nowe therfore my Sonnes, be not neclygent: for the Lorde hath chosen you to stande before hym, and for to minystre and serue hym, and to burne incense.

Then the Leuites arose: Mahath the son [unspec C] of Amasai, and Ioell the sonne of Azariahu of the chyldren of the Cahathites: and of the sonnes of Merari, Kis the son of Addi, and Azariahu the sonne of Iehalelell, and of the sonnes of the Gersonites, Ioah the sonne of Simma, and Eden the sonne of Ioah: And of the sonnes of Elizaphan, Simri and Ie∣hiell: and of the sonnes of Asaph, Zacharia / and Mathaniahu: and of the sonnes of He∣man, Iehiell and Simei: and of the sonnes of Ieduthun / Semaia and Uziell. And they gathered theyr brethren, and puryfyed them selues, and came accordyng to the cōmaunde¦ment of the kyng and the word{is} of the lorde / for to clense the house of the Lorde. And the Preestes wente in to the inner partes of the house of the Lorde to clense it, and brought out all the vnclennesse that they founde in the temple of the lorde, in to the courte of the house of the lorde. And the Leuites toke it, to carye it out in to the broke Cedron.

They began the fyrst day of the fyrst mo∣neth [unspec D] to purifye, and the eyght daye of the mo¦neth came they to the porch of the lorde: and purged the house of the lorde in eyght dayes, and in the syxtene daye of the fyrūe moneth they made an ende. And they went into Here∣kia the kynge, and sayde: we haue clensed all the house of the Lorde, the aulter of burnts offerynge, with all his vessels, and the shew∣bread table with all his apparell: and all the vessels whiche Kynge Ahaz dyd caste a syde when he reygned and transgressed, them we haue prepared and sanctifyed: and beholde / they are before the aulter of the Lorde. And Hezekia the kynge rose early: and gathered the lordes of the citye & went vp to the house of the Lorde.

And they brought seuen oxen, seuen ••am∣mes, seuen shepe, and seuen he gootes to be •• [unspec E] synne offerynge for the kyngdome, for the sancturye, and for Iuda. And he cōmaunded the preestes the sonn{is} of Aaron, to offer them on the aulter of the Lorde. And they slue the oxen, and the Preestes receyued the bloode / & sprynkled it on the aulter: Lykewyse, when they had sleyne the rammes, they sprynkled the bloode vpon the aulter: they slue also the shepe, and they sprynkled the bloode vpō the

aulter. And then they brought forth the he gootes for the synofferynge before the kynge and the congregacion, and put theyr handes vpon them. And the preestes slue them, and with the bloode of them they clensed the aul∣ter, to make satasfactyon for all Israell: for the kynge commaunded, that the burntoffe∣rynge and the synofferynge shulde be made for all Israell. And set the Leuit{is} in the house of the lorde with symbals, psaltryes and har∣pes, accordynge to the cōmaundement of Dauid and of Gad the kyng{is} sear, and Na∣than the Prophet.

For so was the cōmaūdement of the lorde [unspec F] thorow the hande of his prophettes. And the Leuites stode, hauynge the instrumentes of Dauid, and the preest{is} helde the trompettes. And Hezekia cōmaunded to offer the burnte offeryng vpō the aulter. And when the burnt offeryng began, the songe of the lorde began also, and the trompet{is} with the instrumentes that were ordeyned by the hande of Dauid kynge of Israell. And all the congregacyon worshypped, syngynge a songe, & blowynge with trompettes, and all this contynued, vn∣tyll the burntofferynge was fynysshed. And when they had made an ende of offeryng, the kynge and all that were present with hym / bowed them selues, & worshypped. And Heze¦kia the kynge and the lordes spake to the Le∣uites to prayse the Lorde with the wordes of Dauid, and of Asaph the sear. And the Leui∣tes sange prayses with gladnesse, & the other bowed them selues, and worshypped. And Hezekia answered, and sayde: nowe ye haue consecrate your hand{is} to the lorde: go to ther¦fore, and brynge in the sacrifyces and thank∣offerynges in to the house of the lorde.

And the congregacyon brought in the sa∣crifyces, [unspec G] and thankofferynges, & burntoffe∣ryng{is} as many as were of a fre liberal herte. And the nombre of the burntoffryng{is}, which the congregacyon brought, was. lxx. oxen, an C. rammes, and C C. shepe: which were, all for the burntofferyng of the lorde. ☞ And there were dedycated syxe hundred oxen, and thre thousand shepe. And the preestes were to few, to fleye all the burntofferyng{is}: but theyr brethren the Leuites dyd helpe them, tyl they had ended the worke, and vntyll the preestes were sanctifyed. For the Leuites were purer herted to be sanctifyed, then the preestes. And therto the burntofferynges were many with the fat of the peaceofferyng{is} and the drynke∣offeryng{is} that be longe to the burntofferyng And so the seruice perteynyng to the house of the lorde was finysshed. And Hezekia reiosed and all the the people that god had made the flocke to redye: and that the thynge was so soone done.

¶ Hezekia renueth the feast of passeouer.

CAPI. XXX.

ANd Hezekia sent to all Israell and Iu∣da, [unspec A] and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasse, that they shulde come to the house of the Lorde at Ierusalem, and offer Passe∣ouer vnto the Lorde god of Israell. And the kynge helde a counsayle with his lordes and all the congregacyon at Ierusalem, to kepe the feast of Passeouer in the seconde moneth

For they coulde not kepe it at that tyme: bycause the preestes were not sanctifyed suf∣fycyentlye, neyther was the people gathered togyther to Ierusalem. And the thyng plea∣sed the kynge and all the congregacyon. And they decreed, that it shuld be proclamed tho∣rowout all Israell from Beersabe to Dan / that they shulde come, and holde the feast of Passeouer vnto the Lorde God of Israell at Ierusalē: for they had not done it of a greate season as they shulde haue done by the lawe. So the postes went with letters of the hand of the kynge, and of his lordes thorowout all Israel and Iuda: and at the cōmaundement of the kynge they sayde: Ye Chyldren of Is∣raell, turne agayne vnto the lorde god of A∣braham, Isaac and Israell, and let euery one returne to the remenaūt that are escaped you out of the hande of the kyng{is} of Assur. And be not ye lyke your fathers & your brethren / whiche trespassed agaynst the Lorde God of theyr fathers, whiche gaue them vp to be de∣stroyed, as ye se.

And nowe be not ye styffe necked, lyke as [unspec B] were your fathers, but yeld your selues vnto the lorde, and entre into his holy place, which he hath sanctifyed for euer, & serue the Lorde your God, and the fearcenesse of his wrathe shall turne awaye from you. For yf ye turne agayne vnto the lorde, then shal your brethrē and youre chyldren fynde compassyon in the presence of them that toke them captyue, and they shall come agayne vnto this lande: for the lorde your God is gracyous and mercy∣full & wyl not turne away his face from you, yf ye conuerte vnto hym. And so the postes went from citye to citye in the lande of Ephra¦im and Manasse, euen vnto Zabulon. But they laughed them to scorne, & mocked them. Neuerthelesse, yet dyuerse of Asser, Manasse and of Zabulon submytted them selues and came to Ierusalem. And the hande of God was in Iuda, so that he gaue them one herte, to do the cōmaundement of the kynge and of

the rulers, accordynge to the worde of the lorde. And there assembled to Ierusalē moch people, & there was present a myghtye great cōgregacion, to holde the feast of swete bread in the seconde moneth.

And they arose, and remoued the aulters that were in Ierusalem. And all the vessels [unspec C] of incense dyd they away, and cast them in to the broke Cedron. And they slue Passeouer the. xiiii. day of the seconde moneth. And the preestes / and Leuites ☞ whiche were asha∣med, sanctifyed them selues, and brought in the burntofferyng{is} into the house of the lorde And they stode in theyr offyce after theyr ma¦ner, and accordyng to the sawe of Moses the man of god. And the Preestes sprynkled the bloode, whiche they receyued of the hande of the Leuites: For there were many in the con∣gregacyon, that were not sanctifyed: and the Leuites dyd sley Passeouer for all that were not cleane, & that myght not execute the holy worke of the lorde. For many of the people / & very many out of Ephraim, Manasse, Isa∣kar and Zabulon were not clensed, & yet dyd eate Passeouer agaynst the lawe appoynted.

Wherfore Hezekia prayed for them, and sayd: the good lorde be mercyful vnto them. For he set his hoole herte, to seke the Lorde God / euen the God of his fathers: but all the other dyd not so accordyng to vnfayned holy¦nesse. And the lorde herde Hezekia, & healed [unspec D] the people. And the Chyldren of Israell that were present at Ierusalem, helde the feast of swete breade seuen dayes with great glad∣nesse, and the Leuites & the preestes praysed, and magnified the power of the lorde day by day, vpon instrumentes. And Hezekia spake hertely vnto all the Leuites that had vnder∣standynge & were of a good mynde towarde the lorde. And they dyd eate thorowout that feast, seuen dayes longe, & offered peaceoffe∣rynges, & thanked the lorde god of theyr fa∣thers. And the hole assemble toke counsayle to do so other seuen dayes, & they helde those vii. dayes with gladnesse. For Hezekia kyng of Iuda toke out (from amonge his cattell) for the congregacion, a. M yonge oxen, and seuen. M. shepe. And the lordes gaue out to the congregacyon a. M. yonge oxen, and ten thousande shepe. And a great nombre of the preestes were sanctifyed. And all the congre∣gacyon of Iuda with the preestes and Leui∣tes, and all the congregacyon that came out of Israell, & the straungers that came out of the lande of Israell, & that dwelte in Iuda / reioysed: and there was greate gladnesse in Ierusalem. For synce the tyme of Salomon the Sonne of Dauid kynge of Israell there was no soche ioye in Ierusalem. And the preest{is} and the Leuites arose, and blessed the people, & theyr voyce was herde of the lorde / & theyr prayer came vp vnto heuen, his holy dwellynge place.

¶ After that Hezekia had called agayne the people vnto the way of the lorde, he ordeneth the preestes, vnto whom he cōmaundeth to gyue tythes

CAPI. XXXI.

ANd when all these thynges were finys∣shed, [unspec A] all they of Israell that were pre∣sent in the cityes of Iuda, went out and brake the ymages, and cut downe the gro∣ues, and all to brake the hygh places, & aul∣ters, thorowout all Iuda and Ben iamin / in Ephraim also and Manasse, vntyll they had vtterly destroyed them all. And all the Chyl∣dren of Israell returned, euery man to his possessyon and to theyr owne cityes. And He∣zekia appoynted sundrye companyes of the preestes / and Leuites after the dyuersyte of theyr minystracyons, euery man accordynge to his offyce, bothe preestes and Leuites, for the burntofferynge / and peaceofferynges / to ministre, and to gyue thankes / and prayse in the gates of the hooste of the Lorde. And the kyng{is} porcyon of his substaūce that he gaue, were burntofferynges in the mornynge and euenyng / & burntofferyng{is} for the Sabboth dayes, newe moones, and solempne feastes, accordyng as it is wrytten in the law of the lorde. And he bad the people that dwelt in Ie¦rusalem, gyue the parte to the Preestes, and Leuites, that they myght substancyally ap∣plye them selues to the lawe of the lorde.

And as soone as the kynges cōmaun∣dement [unspec B] came abrode, the Chyldren of Isra∣ell brought aboundaunce of fyrst fruytes, of corne, wyne, oyle, honye, and of all maner of fruytes of the felde: and the tythes of all ma∣ner of thynges brought they in plenteouslye. And the Chyldren of Israell and Iuda that dwelt in the cities of Iuda, they also brought in the tythes of oxen and shepe, & other holy tythes whiche were consecrate vnto the lorde theyr god, they dyd offre, and brought them all by heapes. In the thyrde moneth they be∣gan to lay the heapes (in maner of a founda∣cyon) & finysshed them in the seuenth moneth And when Hezekia & the lord{is} cam•• and saw the heapes, they blessed the lord and his peo∣ple Israell. And Hezekia questioned with the preestes and he Leuites concernyng the hea∣pes. And Azaria the cheyfe preest of the house of Zadocke, answered hym, and sayde: syn••e the peple began to bryng the heaueofferyng{is}

in to the house of the lorde, we also haue had ynough to ••ate, there remayned so moch: for the Lorde hath blessed his people, and this heape is lefte.

And Hezekia bad prepare the chambers [unspec C] in the house of the lorde: and they dyd prepare them, and caryed in the heaue offerynges, the tythes, and the dedicate thynges, faythfully. Ouer which Chonaniahu the Leuite had the rule, and Semei his brother next to hym. And Iehiel, Asaziahu, Nahath, Asaell, Ieri∣moth Iosabad, Eliel, Iesmachiahu, Ma∣hath, and Banaiahu were ouersects ordey∣ned by Chonaniahu: and Semei his brother was an officer of Hezekia the kyng, and Asa∣ria was the ruler of the house of god ❀ (vnto vvhom all these thynges belonged.) And Chore the sonne of Iimna the Leuite & por••er of the East dore, had the ouer syght of the thynges that were offered of a frewyll vnto God (and were giuen in maner seuerally vnto the lord) and ouer the thyng{is} moost holye. And vnder his hande were Eden, Mintamin, Iesua, Se∣meiahu, Amariahu, and Sechaniahu in the cityes of the preestes appoynted of theyr fyde lyte, to gyue to theyr brethren theyr porcions, as well to the small as to the greate. Excepte that to the males that were rekened frō thre yere and aboue (amonge all that went in to the house of the Lorde) they shulde gyue day by daye, for theyr ministracyon, and for theyr gyuynge attendaunce, and for theyr dyuerse waytynges by course.

And to the Preestes and Leuites thore w∣out [unspec D] the houshold of theyr fathers, from twen¦tye yeare & aboue, to wayte when theyr cour∣ses came. And to the families of all theyr ba∣bes, wyues, sonnes and doughters thorowe all the congregacyon. For vpon the fydelyte of them were ☞ the holy thynges bestowed. And to the Chyldren of Aaron, the Preestes / whiche were in the feldes and suburbes of theyr Cityes, Citye by citye, the men (whose names wire expressed before) shuld gyue por¦tyons, euen to al the males amonge the pree∣stes, & to all the Leuites, accordynge to theyr nombre. And of this maner dyd Hezekia tho∣rowout all Iuda, & wrought it that is good, and ryght and true, before the lorde his god.

And in all the workes that he beganne for the seruyce of the house of god, for the lawe, and for the cōmaundementes, he sought his God, and that dyd he with all his herte, and prospered.

¶ Sennacherib (or Sanherib) bes••ygynge Ierusalem▪ is str••hr•• of the Angell. Hezekia dyeth, after whom succedeth Manasse.

CAPI. XXXII.

AFter that these dedes were faythfully [unspec A] done, Sennacherib kynge of Assur came, and entred in to Iuda, and com∣passed the stronge Cityes, & thought to wyn them for hym selfe. And so when Hezekia saw that Sennacherib was come, & that he was purposed to fyght agaynste Ierusalem, he toke counsayle with his Lordes, and men of myght, to stop the water of the fountaynes / without the citie: and they dyd helpe hym.

For there gathered many of the people to∣gyther, and stopt al the welles and the broke that ranne thorow the myddes of the lande, sayenge: Why shal the kyng{is} of Assur come, and fynde moch water? And Hezekia wente to lustelye, and buylte vp all the wall where it was broken, and made ordynaunce vpon the towres and to the other wal without, and repayred Millo in the citye of Dauid, & made many dartes and sheldes.

And he set captaynes of war ouer the peo∣ple, [unspec B] and gathered them togyther to hym in the large strete of the gate of the Citye, and spake tentellye to them, sayenge: Plucke vp your hertes, & be stronge: Be not afrayde nor discouraged for the kynge of Assur, and for al the multitude that he hath with hym: for there be mo with vs then with hym. With hym is an arme of flesshe: But with vs is the lorde our god, for to helpe vs, & to fyght our battayls. And the people toke a courage thorowe the wordes of Hezekia kyng of Iu∣da. After this dyd Sennacherib kynge of Assur sende of his seruauntes to Ierusalem (but he hym selfe remayned besyde Lachis: hauyng all his power with hym) vnto Heze∣kia kyng of Iuda, & vnto al Iuda that were at Ierusalem, sayenge: Thus sayeth Sen∣nacheryb Kynge of Assur: wherein do ye trust, O ye that dwell in Ierusalem which is beseyged? Doth not Hezekia entyce you to [unspec C] gyue ouer your selues vnto death, hunger, & thyrst, sayenge: the lorde our god shal ryd vs out of the hande of the kynge of Assur? Hath not the same Hezekia put downe his hygh places and his aulters, and cōmaunded Iu∣da and Ierusalem, sayenge: Ye shall worshyp before one aulter, and burne incense vpon the same? Knowe ye not, what I and my fa∣thers haue done vnto the people of all land{is}•• were the Gods of the people of other landes able or myghtye to saue theyr landes out of my hande? which of all the gods of those na∣cyons (that my fathers destroyed) coulde de∣lyuer his peple out of myne hande? And shal your god be able to delyuer you out of myne

hand? wherfore, now let not Hezekia deceyue you, nor persuade you of this fassyō, nor yet byleue hym. For as no God among all naci∣ons & kyngdomes, was able to ryd his peple out of myne hande, and out of the hande of my fathers: howe moche lesse shal your gods be able to kepe you out of myne hande?

And yet mo thynges dyd his seruauntes [unspec D] speake agaynst the Lorde God, and agaynst his seruaunt Hezekia. And (Sennacherib) also wrote a letter, to rayle on the Lorde God of Israel, and spake agaynst hym, saynge•• as the gods of the nacions of other landes haue not bene able to delyuer theyr people out of myne hande. Euen so shal not the God of He¦zekia delyuer his people out of myne hande. And they cryed w^t a loude voyce in the Iues speche vnto the peple of Ierusalem that were on the wall, to feare them, and to make them faynt heried, and that they myght so take the citye. And they spake agaynst the god of Ie∣rusalem, as agaynst the Gods of the nacions of the earth, which were the worke of the han¦des of men.

But Hezekia the kyng, & the prophet Isal [unspec E] the son of Amoz prayed agaynst the blasphe∣mye, & cryed vp to heuen. And the Lorde sent an angel, which destroyed all the men of war and the lordes and captaynes of the hoost of the kyng of Assur, that he turned his face a∣gayne with shame towarde his owne lande.

And when he was come into the house of his God, they that came of his owne body, slue hym there w^t the swerde. And so the lorde saued Hezekia & the enhabitours of Ierusa∣lem out of the hande of Sennacherib kynge of Assur, and from the hande of all other, and maynteyned them on euery syde. And many brought offerynges vnto the Lorde to Ieru∣salem, & presentes to Hezekia kyng of Iuda: so that he was magnifyed in the syght of all nacions from thence forth.

In those dayes Hezekia was sycke vnto the death, and prayed vnto the Lorde: which answered hym, and shewed hym a wonderful [unspec F] myracle: But Hezekia dyd not agayne vnto God accordyng to it that he had shewed hym for his herte arose: & there came wrath vpon hym and vpon Iuda and Ierusalem. Not∣withstandyng Hezekia submytted hym selfe (after that his herte was rysen vp) he, & the enhabitours of Ierusalem: & the wrath of the Lorde came not vpon them in the dayes of Hezekia. And Hezekia had excedynge moche¦rychesse and honoure. And he gat hym trea∣sures of syluer, and golde, precious stones, & spices, sheldes, and of all maner pleasaunt Iuelles: & made store houses for the fruytes of corne, for wyne and oyle: and stalles for al maner of beastes, and foldes for shepe.

And he made hym cityes, and had of shepe [unspec G] and oxen great aboundaunce. For God had gyuen hym substaunce excedynge moche.

This same Hezekia stopped the vpper wa∣ter spryng{is} of Gihon, & brought them downe to the west syde of the citie of Dauid. And He¦zekia prospered in all his workes. And when the prynces of Babilon sent vnto hym Am∣bassadoures, to enquyre of the wondre that chaūced in the lande, God lefte hym to trye hym, & that all that was in his herte, myghte be knowen. The rest of the dedes of Hezekia, and his goodnesse: beholde, they are wrytten in the vision of Isai the prophet the sonne of Amoz in the boke of the kynges of Iuda and Israel. And Hezekia slepte with his fathers, and they buried him in the most worthy place of the sepulchres of the sonnes of Dauid: and all Iuda and the enhabytours of Ierusalem dyd him worshyp at his death. And Manasse his sonne reygned in his steade.

¶ Manasse is taken prysoner, and after that he rometh 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ he destroyeth the I••••lles: he dyeth, and after hym succedeth ••••uion, which is kylled of his owne people, and Ios••a his son reygneth in his steade.

CAPI. XXXIII.

MAnasse was. xii. yere olde when he be∣gan [unspec A] to reygne, and he reygned, iv. yere in Ierusalem. But he dyd euyll in the syght of the Lorde, lyke vnto the abhomina∣cions of the hethen, whom the Lorde cast out before the chyldren of Israel. For he went to & buylte the hylaulters whiche Hezekia his father had broken downe. And he reared vp aulters for Baalim, & made groues, and wor¦shypped all the hoost of heuen, & serued them. And he buylt aulters in the house of the lord where as the Lorde yet had sayd: In Ieru∣salem shal my name be for euer. And he buylt aulters for all the hoost of heuen, in the two courtes of the house of the lord. And he burnt his chyldren in fyre, in the valley of the sonne of Hinnom. He was a sorcerer, he regarded the cryenge of byrdes, vsed inchauntment, & maynteyned workers with spirites, & Sears of fortunes: and wrought moche euyll in the syght of the Lorde, to angre hym withall.

And he put the carued ymage & an Idoll [unspec B] whiche he had made in the house of God. Of which house, God had sayd to Dauid, and to Salomon his sonne: in this house and in Ie¦rusalem whiche I haue chosen before all the tribes of Israell, wyll I put my name for euer, and wyll no more bryng the seate of Is∣rael from of the land which I haue ordeyned

for your fathers. If so be that they wyll be diligent and▪ do all that I haue cōmaunded them in all the lawe, and statutes, and ordi∣naunces by the hande of Moses. And so Ma¦nasse made Iuda, & the enhabytours of Ie∣rusalem to er••e, & to do worse then the hethen whom the lorde destroyed before the chyldren of Israell. And the Lorde spake to Manasse & to his people, but they wolde not regarde. Wherfore, the Lorde brought vpon them the captaynes of the hoost of the kyng of the As∣sirians, whiche toke Manasse in holde, and bounde hym with cheynes, and caryed hym to Babilon.

And when he was in tribulacyon, he be∣sought [unspec C] the Lorde his god, and humbled hym selfe excedyngly before the god of his fathers and made intercessyon to hym: and god was entreated of hym, and herde his prayer, and brought hym agayne to Ierusalem in to his kyngdome. And then Manasse knewe, that the Lorde was God. After this, he buylte a wall without the citye of Dauid on the west syde of Gihon, in the valley as they come to the fysshe gate, and rounde aboute ☞ Ophel and brought it vp of a very great heyght, & put cāptaynes of wat in all the strong cityes of Iuda. And he toke away straunge Gods and ymages out of the house of god, and al the aulters that he had buylte in the mounte of the house of God, and in Ierusalem, and cast them out of the citye. And he repared the aulter of the Lorde, & sacrificed theron peace offerynges, and thank offeryng, and charged Iuda, to serue the lorde god of Israel. Neuer thelesse the people dyd offce styl in the hylaul ters, howbeit vnto the lorde theyr god onely.

The rest of the actes of Manasse, and his [unspec D] prayer vnto his god, and the wordes of the Seats and of them that spake to hym in the name of the Lorde God of Israel: Beholde, they are wrytten in the sayenges of the kyn∣ges of Israell. And his prayer / and howe that he was herde, and al his synnes, and his trespasse, and the places where he made hyll aulters, and set vp groues, and ymages (be∣fore he was ••••ekened) Beholde, they are wryt¦ten amonge the say••nges of the Sears. And Manasse slepte with his fathers, & they buryed hym in his owne house: and Amon his sonne reygned in his towme. Amon was two and twentye yere olde, when he began to reygne, and reygned two yere in Ierusalem.

But he dyd euyll in the syght of the Lorde, lyke as dyd Manasse his father, for Amon sa crificed to all the carued ymages which Ma∣nasse his father had made, & serued them, & submytted not hym selfe before the Lorde as Manasse his father had mekened hym selfe. But Amon trespassed greatly. And his owne seruaunt{is} conspired agaynst hym, & slue hym in his owne house. But the peple of the lande slue al them that had cōspired agaynst kynge Amon. And the same peple of the lande made Iosia his sonne kynge in his rowme.

¶ Ios•••• destroyeth the Idols, and restoreth the temple in whiche the boke of the lawe is f••••nde He sendeth to Hulda the Prophettesse for counsell.

CAPI. XXXIIII.

IOsia was eyght yere olde when he began [unspec A] to reygne, and he reygned in Ierusalem xxxi. yeare. And he dyd that whiche was ryght in the syght of the Lorde, and walked in the wayes of Dauid his father, and bowed neyther to the ryght hande nor to the lefte.

In the eyght yere of his reygne (when he was yet a Chylde) he began to seke after the God of Dauid his father, And in the twelfth yere he began to pourge Iuda, and Ierusa∣lem from hylaulters, groues, carued ymag{is}, and ymages of mettal: and they brake downe the aulters of Baalim euen in his presence: & other ymages that were in greater honoure then they, he caused to be destroyed. And the groues, carued ymages, & ymages of mettal he brake & made dust of them, and strawed it vpon the graues of them that had offered to them. And he burnt the bones of the preestes vpon the aulters of them, & clensed Iuda and Ierusalē. And euen so dyd he in the cityes of Manasse, Ephraim, Simeon vnto Nephthal••. [unspec B] And in the wyldernes of them rounde about he plucked a sondre the aulters & the groues and dyd beate them, and stampe them to pow¦der, and dyd beate downe al the ymages tho∣rowout all the lande of Israel: and returned to Ierusalem agayne. In the xviii. yeare of his reygne when he had pourged the lande, and the Temple he sent Saphan the sonne of Amaziahu, and Maasiah the gouernour of the citye, and Ioah the son of Ioahaz the recorder, to repayre the house of the lorde his God. And when they came to Elkia the hygh preest, they delyuered them the money that was brought in to the house of God, whiche the Leuites that kepte the entries had gathe∣red of the hande of Manasse and Ephraim, & of all that yet remayned in Israel, and of all Iuda and Beniamin, & of the enhabitoures of Ierusalem. And they put in the handes of the workemen, that had the ouersyght of the house of the Lorde: and they gaue it to the labourers that wroughte in the house of the Lorde, to repayre and amende the house.

Euen the maso••s & carpenters gaue they [unspec C] it: to get stone and tymbre, for couples and for beames of the houses, whiche the kynges of Iuda had destroyed. And the men dyd the worke faythfully. And the ouerseers of them to courage them forwarde, were Iahath and Obadiahu Leuites of the chyldren of Me∣rari: and Secharia & Mesullam, of the chyl∣dren of the Cahathites, and other of the Le∣uites whiche all coulde skyl of instrumentes of musycke. And ouer the berers of burdens, & ouer al that wrought, in whatsoeuer worke manshyp it were, were there scribes, offycers and porters of the Leuites. And when they brought oute the money that was brought in to the house of the Lorde, Helkia the preest found the boke of the lawe of the Lorde, gy∣uen by Moses. And Helkia answered & sayd to Saphan the Scrybe: I haue founde the boke of the law, in the house of the lorde, and Helkia gaue the boke to Saphan.

And Saphan caryed the boke to the kyng [unspec D] and brought the kyng worde agayn, saynge: all that was cōmytted to thy seruaūtes, that do they. And they haue gathered togither the money that was founde in the house of the Lorde, and haue delyuered it in to the hand{is} of the ouerseers of the worke, & in to the han∣des of the workmen. And then Saphan the scribe shewed the kynge, sayenge: Helkia the preest hath gyuen me a boke, and Saphan red in it before the kynge. And it fortuned, that when the kyng had herde the wordes of the lawe, he tare his clothes: And the kynge cōmaunded Helkia and Ahikam the sonne of Saphan, and Habidon the sonne of Micah and Saphan the scribe, and Asaia a seruaūt of the kynges, saynge: go and enquire of the Lorde for me, and for them that are lefte in Israel and Iuda, concernyng the wordes of the boke that is foūde. For great is the wrath of the Lorde that is fallen vpon vs, bycause out fathers haue not kepte the worde of the Lorde, to do after all that is wrytten in this boke. And Helkia and they that the kynge [unspec E] had appoynted, went to Hulda a prophetesse the wyfe of Sallum the sonne of Tokhath the sonne of Hasra keper of the wardrop (for she dwelte in Ierusalem with in the seconde wall) and so they comuned with her. She an¦swered them: thus sayth the lorde God of Is∣rael: tel ye the man that sent you to me. Euen thus sayth the Lorde: Beholde, I wyl bryng euyll vpon this place, & vpon the enhabiters therof (euen all the curses that are wrytten in the boke which they haue red before the kyng of Iuda) bycause they haue forsaken me, and haue offered vnto other goddes, to angre me with all maner of workes of theyr handes: therfore is my wrath set on fyre agaynst this place, and shall not be quenched. And as for the kynge of Iuda which sent you to enquire of the Lorde, so shall ye saye vnto hym: thus sayth the Lorde god of Israell concernynge the wordes whiche thou hast herde. Bycause [unspec F] th••ne herte dyd melte, and thou dydest meke thy selfe before God, when thou herdest his wordes agaynst this place, and agaynst the enhabitours therof: and humbledst thy selfe before me, and tarest thy clothes, and wepte before me, that haue I herde also sayeth the lorde. Beholde, I wyl take the to thy fathers and thou shalte be put in thy graue in peace, and thyne eyes shall not se all the myscheyfe that I wyl bryng vpon this place, & vpon the enhabitours of the same. And they brought the kynge worde agayne. Then the kynge sent, and gathered togyther all the elders of Iuda and Ierusalem. And the kynge wente vp in to the house of the lorde, and al the men of Iuda, and the enhabitours of Ierusalem, & the preestes and Leuites, and all the people great and smal: & the kynge dyd rede in theyr hearynge al the wordes of the boke of the co∣uenaunt that was founde in the house of t•••• Lorde. And the kynge stode at his standyng [unspec G] and made a couenaunt before the Lorde, to folowe the Lorde, and to kepe his cōmaunde¦mentes, his wytnesses, and his statutes, with all his herte and with all his soule, & to fulfyl the wordes of the appoyntment wrytten in the sayd boke. And he set in theyr rowme all them that were founde in Ierusalem & Ben∣iamin, and the enhabitoures of Ierusalem dyd accordynge to the couenaunt of the lorde God of theyr fathers.

And Iosia put awaye all maner of abho∣minacions out of all landes that perteyned to the chyldren of Israell, and brought in all that were founde in Israell, to worshyp, and to serue the Lorde theyr God. And they tur∣ned not asyde from after the Lorde God of theyr fathers, as longe as he lyued.

¶ Iosia holdeth Passeouer. He fyghteth agaynst the kynge of Egypt, and dyeth. The people bewayle h••••••.

CAPI. XXXV.

ANd Iosia helde the feast of passeouer [unspec A] vnto the lorde in Ierusalem, & they slue passeouer in the. xiiii. daye of the fyrste moneth. And he set the preestes in theyr offy∣ces, & ayded them in the seruyce of the house of the lorde. And he sayd vnto the Leuit{is} (that taught all Israel, & were sanctified vnto the Lorde) put the holy arke in the house whiche

Salomon the sonne of Dauid kynge of Is∣rael, dyd buylde, there shall none other burdē be layd vpon your shoulders. But now serue the Lorde your God and his people Israell. And prepare your selues by youre auncient housholdes and companies, according to the wrytynge of Dauid kyng of Israel, and the wrytyng of Salomon his sonne. And stande in the holy place accordynge to the deuision of the auncient housholdes of your brethren the chyldren of the people, and after the deui∣sion of the auncient housholdes of the Leuit{is} kyl passeouer, and sanctifie and prepare your brethren, that they may do accordynge to the worde of the Lorde by the hande of Moses.

And Iosia gaue to the people flockes of [unspec B] shepe and kyddes, al for passeouer, and for al that were present, thyrtie the usande by tale / and thre thousande oxen, and these were euen of the kynges substaūce. And his lord{is} gaue wyllynglye both vnto the people, and to the preestes, and vnto the Leuites. Helkia also, Zacharia and Iehiel, tulers of the house of God, gaue vnto the preest{is} for passeouer offe∣rynges two thousande & syxe hundred shepe, and thre hundred oxen. Conama and Seme∣tahu and Nathanel his brethren, and Hasa∣biahu, and Iaiel, and ••osabad rulers of the Leuites, gaue vnto the Leuites Passeouer offerynges, euen fyue thousand shepe, & fyue hundred oxen. And so the seruyce was prepa∣ted, and the preestes stode in theyr places, & the Leuites in theyr distincte companyes at the kynges cōmaundement. And they slue passeouer, & the preestes sprinkled the bloode with theyr hande, and the Leuites pulled of the skynnes of the beast{is}. And they fet away the burnt offerynges, to gyue them vnto the people that were deu••ded by auncient houses & that they shulde offre vnto the Lorde, lyke as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses. And so dyd they with the oxen also.

And they dressed the passeouer with fyre as the maner was. And the other dedicate [unspec C] beastes: ••od they in pottes, cauldrons & pau∣nes, and deuyded them among al the people. And afterwarde, they made redy for them sel¦ues and for the Preestes: for the chyldren of Aaron were busyed in offeryng of burnt offe∣rynges and the fat vntyll nyght: therfore the Leuites prepared for them selues and for the preest{is} the sonnes of Aaron. And the syngers the chyldren of Asaph stode in theyr standyng accordyng to the cōmaundement of Dauid a••d Asaph, Heman and Ieduthun the kyn∣ges Sea••: and the porters wayted at euery gate, and myght not departe from theyr ser∣uyce: for theyr brethren the Leuites ☞ prepa¦red for them. And so al the seruyce of the lord was prepared the same daye, to offre Passeo∣uer, & to offre burnt offerynges vpon the aul∣ter of the Lorde, accordyng to the cōmaunde∣ment of kyng Iosia. And so the chyldren of Israel that were present, offered Passeouer the same tyme, & kept the feast of swete bread seuen dayes. And there was no Passeouer lyke to that, kepte in Israell, from the dayes of Samuell the prophet: neyther dyd all the kynges of Israell holde suche a Passeouer feast as dyd Iosia and the preestes and Le∣uites and all Iuda, and Israel that were pre∣sen••e, & the enhabitours of Ierusalem. This Passeouer was holden in the eyghtene yeare of the reygne of Iosia.

After all this, when Iosia had prepared the temple. Necho kynge of Egypte came vp [unspec D] to fyght agaynst Cat••amis besyde Euphra∣tes, and Iosia went out agaynst hym: which sent messengers to hym, & sayde: What haue I to do with the thou kynge of Iuda? Be not thou agaynst thy selfe this daye. For my wa•• is agaynst an other house, and God bad me make haste. Leaue of therfore and medle not with God which is w^t me, lest he destroy the, Neuertheles, Iosia wolde not turne his face from hym, but rather toke aduyse to fyght with hym, and herkened not vnto the wor∣des of Necho out of the mouthe of God, and came to fyght in the valley of Magedo, and the shuters shot dartes at kynge Iosia. And the kyng sayd to his seruauntes: carye me a∣way, for I am sore wounded. His seruauntes therfore had hym out of that charet, and put hym ❀ (as a Kyng) in an other charet that they had. And when they had brought hym to Ie∣rusalem, he dyed, and was buryed in the se∣pulchre of his fathers.

And all Iuda and Ierusalem mourned for Iosia. And Ieremia lamented Iosia, and all syngyng men and syngyng women mour¦ned for Iosia in theyr lamentacyons, to this daye, and made the same lamentacyons an ordinaunce in Israell: and beholde, they be wrytten in the lamentacions. The rest of the actes of Iosia and his goodnesse whiche he dyd in folowynge the wrytyng of the lawe of the Lorde, and his sayenges, fyrst and last: Beholde they are wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Israel and Iuda.

¶ After Iosia reygneth Iehoahaz: after Iehoahaz, ••cho as him: after Ieho••••im, Iehoatin: after Iehoa••i••, ••••••chia: in whose tyme all the people were caryed away to Babilon and were brought agayne th••. ixx. yeare after, by hynge L••••u••, (otherwyse called ••hores.)

CAPI. XXXVI.

ANd the people of the lande toke Iehoa∣haz [unspec A] the son of Iosia, and made hym kynge in his fathers steade in Ierusa∣lem. And Iehoahaz was thre & twentye yere olde, when he began to reygne, & he reygued thre monethes in Ierusalem. And the kynge of Egypte put hym downe at Ierusalem, and merced the lande in an hundred talentes of syluer, and a talent of golde. And the kyng of Egypte made Eliakim his brother kyng vpō Iuda and Ierusalem, and turned his name vnto Iehoakim: And Necho toke Iehoahaz his brother, and caryed hym to Egypte. Ie∣hoakim was fyue and twentie yere olde, wh•• he began to reygne, and he reygned, xi. yere in Ierusalem: and he dyd euyll in the syghte of the Lorde his God. Agaynst hym came vp Nabuchodonozer kyng of Babilon, & bound hym with two chaynes, to carye hym to Ba∣bilon. The kyng Nabuchodonozer also ca∣ryed of the vessels of the house of the Lorde to Babilon, and put them in his temple at Babilon.

The rest of the act•••• of Iehoakim, and his [unspec B] ••bhominations whithe he dyd, & carued yma ges that were layde to his charge: beholde, they are wrytten in the boke of the kynges of Israel and Iuda: and Iehoacin his sonne reygned in his steade. Iehoacin was eyghte yere olde when he began to reygne, & he reyg∣neb thre monethes and ten dayes in Ierusa∣lem: and dyd euyll in the syght of the Lorde.

And when the yere was out, kynge Nabu∣thod onozer sente, and fet hym to Babilon w^t the goodly vessels of the house of the Lorde, & made Zedekia (his fathers brother) kynge ouer Iuda and Ierusalem. Zedekia was one and twentye yere olde, when he began to reygne, and reygned eleuen yere in Ierusa∣lam. And he dyd euyl in the syght of the lorde his God, and humbled not hym selfe before Ieremia the Prophet, at the mouth of the Lorde.

And he rebelled agaynst Nabuchodono∣zer, [unspec C] whiche had receyued an othe of hym by God: But he was styffe necked, and to harde herted to turne vnto the lorde God of Israel. Moreouer, al the rulers, the preestes, and the people trespassed more, sy••nyng after al ma∣ner of abhominacyons of the hethen, and po¦luted the house of the Lorde▪ whiche he had halowed in Ierusalem. And the Lorde god of theyr fathers sent to them, by his messen∣gers, rysynge vp besymes and sendynge: for he had compassyon on his people, and on his dwellyng place. But they mocked the messen¦gers of God, and despysed his wordes, and myssevsed his prophettes, vntyll the wrathe of the lorde arose agayn•• his people, and tyl there was no remedye. And 〈…〉〈…〉 he broughte vpon them the kynge of ••••••••ey, whiche slue theyr yonge men w^t the swe••••e in theyr holy temple, and spared neyther yonge man, may∣den, olde man, nor hym that stowped for age: He gaue them all in to his hande. And al the vessels of the house of God (bothe great and small) and the treasures of the house of the Lorde, and the treasures of the kynge▪ and of his lordes: Al these caryed he to Babilon.

And they burnt the house of God, & brake [unspec D] downe the wall of Ierusalem, and burnt all the places therof with fyre, and destroyed all the goodly Iuels therof. And the reste that had escaped the swerde, caryed he to Bablon, where they were bonde to hym and his chyl∣dren, vntyll the tyme that Persia ha•• the em∣pyre: to fulfyl the worde of the Lorde by the mouth of Ieremia, vntyll the lande had he•• pleasure of her Sabbothes: for as longe as she lay desolate, she kepte Sabboth, bn••yl se∣uentye yeres were fulfylled. And the fyrste yere of Cyrus kyng of Persia (whē the worde of the Lorde spoken by the mouth of Iere∣mia, was fynysshed) the Lorde styrred vp the spirite of Cyrus kyng of Persia, that he made a proclamacyon thorowout all his kyngdom and that by wrytynge, sayenge: Thus sayth Cyrus kynge of Persia: All the kyngdomes of the earth hath the Lorde God of heuen gy∣uen me, and hath charged me to buylde hym an house in Ierusalem, that is in Iuda.

Wherfore, who soeuer is amonge you of all his people, the Lorde his God be with hym, and let hym go vp.

❧ The ende of the seconde boke of the Cronicles.

❧ The fyrst boke of Esdras.

¶ Cyrus sendeth agayne the people that was in captiuy••e▪ and restoreth them theyr holy vessels, and cōmaundeth them to buylde agayne the temple.

CAPI. Primo.

IN the fyrst yere of Cyrus [unspec A] kyng of Persia (that the word of the lorde spoken by the mouth of Ieremi myghte be fulfylled) the lorde styrred vp the spirite of Cyrus kyng of Persia, that he caused to be proclaymed thorowout all his empyre, and to be wrytten, saynge. Thus sayth Cyrus the kyng of Per∣sia. The Lorde God of heuen hath gyuen me all the kyngdomes of the earthe, and hath commaunded me to buylde hym an house at Ierusalem whiche is in Iuda.

Who soeuer nowe among you is of his [unspec B] people, the Lorde his God be with hym, and let hym go vp to Ierusalem in Iuda, & buyld the house of the Lorde God of Israell. He is the God that is at Ierusalem. And who so∣euer remayneth yet in any maner of place, (where he is a straunger) let the men of that place helpe hym with syluer and golde, with good and cattell, besyde that which they wyl∣lynglye offer, for the house of God that is at Ierusalem.

Then gat vp the principall fathers of [unspec C] Iuda and Ben Iamin, and the preestes and Leuites, and all they whose spirite God had raysed to go vp, and to buylde the house of the Lorde, whiche is at Ierusalem. And all they that were aboute them strengthed theyr hande with vessels of syluer and golde, with good and cattell, and Iuels: in so moche that euery one shewed hym selfe lyberall. And kynge Cyrus brought forthe the vessels of the house of the Lorde, whiche Nabu∣chodonozer had taken out of Ierusalem, and had put in the house of his God. Those dyd [unspec D] Cyrus the kynge of Persia brynge forthe by the hand of Mithridates the treasurer, & nom¦bred them vnto Sesbazar the prince of Iuda And this is the nombre of them: thyrtie char¦gers of golde, a thousand changers of syluer nyne and twentye knyues, thyrtye basyns of golde: and of other syluer basyns, foure hun¦dred and ten, and of other vessels a thousand All the vessels of golde & syluer were. v. M. and foure hundred. All these dyd Sesbazar carye awaye with them that came vp out of the captiuite of Babilon vnto Ierusalem.

¶ The nombre of them that returned from the captiuyte.

CAPI. II.

THese are the chyldren of the lande that [unspec A] went vp out of the captiuite (whom Na¦buchodonozer the kynge of Babilō had caried away vnto Babilon) and came agayn vnto Ierusalem, and in to Iuda, euery one vnto his citye. They that came with Zoroba¦bel are these. Iesua Nehemiah, Saraea, Re••laia, Mardochai, Bilsan, Mispar, Bi∣guai, Rehum, Baana. This is the nombre of the men of the people of Israel: The children of Phares, two thousand, an hundred, seuen∣tye and two: the chyldren of Saphatia, thre hundred, & seuentye and two: the chyldren of Arath, seuen hundred, & seuenty and fyue: the chyldren of the captayne of Moab amonge the chyldren of Iesua and Ioab, two thou∣sande, eyght hundred & twelue: the chyldren of Elam, a thousande, two hundred, & fyfty & foure: the chyldren of Zathu, nyne hundred, and fourty & fyue: the chyldren of Zaccai, se∣uen hundred, and. lx: the chyldren of Bani / syxe hundred, & fourty and two: the chyldren of Bebai, syxe hundred and thre and twentye The chyldren of Asgad, a thousand, two hun¦dred, and two & twentye: the chyldren of Ado¦nicam, syxe hundred, and syxtye and syxe.

The chyldren of Beguai, two thousande, [unspec B] fyftye & syxe / the chyldren of Adin, foure hun¦dred, & fyftie & foure: the chyldren of Ater of Hezekia, nyntye & eyght: the chyldren of Be∣zai, thre hundred and thre and twentye: The chyldren of Iora, an hundred and twelue: The chyldren of Hasum, two hundred and thre and twentye: The chyldren of Gebar, nyntye and fyue: the chyldren of Bethleem, an hundred and thre and twentye: the men of Netopha, syxe and fyftye: The men of Ana∣thoth, an hundred and eyght and twentye: The chyldren of Asmaueth, two and fourtie: The chyldren of Kiriath Iarim, euen the chil¦dren of Cephira and Beeroth, seuen hundred and thre and fourtye: The chyldren of Hara∣ma and Geba, syxe hundred and one & twen∣tye: The men of Michmas, an hundred and two and twentye: The men of Bethel & Hai, two hundred and thre and twentye: The chyl¦dren of Nebo, two and fyftye: The chyldren of Magbis, an hundred and syxe and fyftye. The chyldren of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred & foure and fyftye: the chyldren of Harim, thre hundred and twentye: the chyl¦dren of Lodhadid and Ono, seuen hundred and fyue & twentye: the chyldren of Iericho, thre hundred and fyue and fourtye: the chyl∣dren of Senaa, thre thousande, syxe hundred

and thyrtye. The preestes of the chyldren of Iedaia of the house of Iesua, nyne hundred seuentye and thre: the chyldren of Immer, a thousande and two and fyftye: the chyldren of Phashur, a thousande, CC. and. xlvii. The chyldren of Harim, a thousande and se∣uentene. The Leuites. The chyldren of Ie∣sua, & Cadmiell of the chyldren of Hodauia, seuenty and foure. The syngers, the children of Asaph, an hundred and xxviii.

The chyldren of dore kepers. The chyldren [unspec C] of Sallum, the children of Ater, the chyldren of Talmon, the chyldren of Akub, the childrē of Hatita, the chyldren of Sobai: al togyther an hundred and. xxxix. The Nethenims, the chyldren of Ziha, the chyldren of Hasupha, the chyldren of Tabaoth, the chyldren of Ce∣ros, the Chyldren of Sieha, The chyldren of Padon, the chyldren of Lebanah, the chyldrē of Hagaba, the chyldren of Akub, the chyl∣dren of Hagab, the chyldren of Samlai, the chyldren of Hanan, the chyldren of Giddell, the chyldren of Gahar, the chyldren of Rea••a the chyldren of Razin, the chyldren of Neco∣da, the chyldren of Gasam, the chyldren of Usa, the chyldren of Passeah, the chyldren of Bessai, the chyldren of Asna, the chyldren of Mehunim, the chyldren of Nephussim, the chyldren of Bacbuc, the chyldren of Hacuba, the chyldren of Hathur.

The chyldren of Bazluth, the chyldren of Mehira, the chyldren of Harsa, the chyldren of Barcom, the chyldren of Sisara, the chyl∣dren of Thamah, the chyldren of Neziah, the chylden of Hatipha. The chyldren of Salo∣mons seruauntes, the chyldren of Sotai, the chyldren of Sophereth, the chyldren of Pe∣ruda, the chyldren of Iaala, the chyldren of Darcon, the chyldren of Giddel, the chyldren of Sephatiah, the chyldren of Hattil, the chil¦dren of Pochereth Hazbaim, the chyldren of Ami. All the Nethimms and the chyldren of Salomons seruauntes, were all togyther, thre hundred nynetye & two. And these went vp from Thelmelah, and from Thel Harsa, Cherub, Addon and Immer. But they could not discerne theyr fathers house & theyr seede whyther they were of Israell. The chyldren of Delaia, the chyldrē of Tobia, the chyldren of Necoda, syxe hundred and two & fyftye.

And of the chyldren of the preestes. The [unspec D] chyldren of Hebaia, the chyldren of Hakoz, the chyldren of Berzilai, whiche toke one of the doughters of Berzilat the Gileadite to wyfe, and was called after theyr name: these sought theyr euidence among them that had the register of byrth, & were not found therin therfore were they put from the preesthode. And ☞ Hathirsatha sayde vnto them, that they shuld not eate of the most holy, tyl there rose vp a preest to weare ☞ Urim & Thu∣mim. The hole congregacion togyther, was two & fourtye thousande, thre hundred & thre score: besyde theyr seruauntes and maydens, of whom there were. vii. thousande, thre hun¦dred and seuen and thyrtye. And there were amonge them two hundred syngynge men & women. Theyr horses were seuen hūdred and syxe and thyrtie. Theyr Mules, two hundred & fyue and fourtye: and theyr Camels, foure hundred & fyue and thyrtie. Theyr Asses, syxe thousande, seuen hundred and twentye. And certayne of the cheyfe fathers, whē they came bycause of the house of the lorde at Ierusalē, they offred them selues wylling, for the house of god, to set it in his place, & gaue golde af∣ter theyr abilite vnto the tresure of the worke euen one & thre score thousande pe••••s, & fy••e thousande pounde of syluer, and an hundred preestes garmentes. So the preestes and the Leuit{is}, & certayne of the peple & the syngers, and the porters, and the Nethinims dwelt in theyr cityes, and all Israel in theyr cityes.

¶ After the foundacyon of the temple once renued: they sacrifyce vnto the Lorde.

CAPI. III.

[unspec A] ☜ ANd when ☞ the seuenth moneth came and the chyldren of Israel were now in theyr cityes, the people came togyther (euen as one mā) vnto Ierusalem. And there stode vp Iesua the sonne of Iosedee and his brethren the preestes, & Zorobabel the son of Salathiel & his brethren, & buylded the au••∣ter of the god of Israel, to offre burnt offryn∣ges theron, as it is wrytten in the law of Mo¦ses the man of god, & the aulter set they vpon his sockettes (for there was a fearefulnesse amonge them bycause of the nacions & lan∣des) therfore they offered burnt offerynges theron vnto the Lorde in the mornyng & at euen. And they helde the feast of tabernacles [unspec B] as it is wrytten, & offered burnt sacrifices dayly accordyng to the nombre and custome, daye by daye. Afterwarde they offered dayly burnt offerynges also, & in the newe moones and in al the feast dayes that were consecrate vnto the Lorde, and for all them whiche dyd (of theyr owne fre wyl) offre vnto the Lorde.

From the fyrst day of the seuenth moneth began they to offre burnt sacrifices vnto the Lorde: euen when the foundacion of the tem∣ple of the Lorde was not yet layde. They gaue money also vnto the masons and car∣penters, and meate & drynke, and oyle vnto

them of Zidon and of Tire, to brynge them Cedre tymbre frome Libanus by See vnto ☞ Iappa, accordyng to the graunt that they had of Cyrus the kynge of Persia.

In the seconde yere of theyr comyng vnto [unspec C] the place of the house of God at Ierusalem, in the seconde moneth, began Zorobabell the sonne of Salathiel, and Iesua the sonne of Iosedec, and the remenaunt of theyr brethrē the preestes and Leuites, & all they that were come out of the captiuite vnto Ierusalem, & appoynted the Leuites from twentye yeare olde & aboue, to se that the worke of the house of the Lorde went forwarde. And Iesua stode with his sonnes and brethren, And Cadmiel with his sonnes, and the chyldren of Iuda, to forther the workemen of the house of God, euen the children of He••adab, with theyr chil¦dren and theyr brethren the Leuites.

And when the bulders layde the founda∣cyon [unspec D] of the temple of the Lorde, the preestes stode in theyr aray, with trompettes. And the Leuites the chyldren of Asaph with cymbals to prayse the Lorde after the maner of Da∣uid kyng of Israel. And they sang togyther whan they gaue prayse and thankes vnto the lorde, bycause he is gracious, and bicause his mercy endureth for euer vpon Israell.

And al the people showted loude in praysyng the lorde, bycause the foūdacyon of the house of the Lorde was layde. Many also of the preestes and Leuites and auncient fathers, which had sene the fyrst house (when the foū∣dacyon of this house was layde before theyr eyes) wepte with a loude voyce. And many showted with ioye / so that the noyse gaue a great sounde, in so moch that the peple could not discerne the ioyful sounde and gladnes / from the noyse of the wepynge amonge the people: for the people showted with a loude crye, and the noyse was herde farre of.

¶ The buyldynge of the temple is hyndered and let.

CAPI. IIII. [unspec A]

BUt the aduersaries of Iuda and Ben Iamin herde, that the chyldrē of the cap¦tiuite buylded the temple vnto the lorde God of Israel. And they came to Zorobabel and to the principall fathers, and sayde vnto them. We wyll buylde with you: for we seke the Lorde youre God lyke as ye do. And we haue done sacrifice vnto hym, synce the tyme of Asor Hadon the kynge of Assur, whiche brought vs vp hyther. And Zorobabell, and Iesua, and the other auncient fathers of Is∣raell sayd vnto them. It can not be, that you and we togyther shuld buyld the house vnto our God: for we our selues wyl buylde alone vnto the lorde our god of Israel, as Cyrus the kynge of Persia hath cōmaunded vs.

And it came to passe, that the folke of the [unspec B] lande hyndered the people of Iuda, and trou¦bled them as they were buyldyng, and hyred counsaylours agaynst them, to hyndre theyr deuyce, as long as Cyrus the kynge of Per∣sia lyued, vntyl the reygne of Darius kynge of Persia. And in the reygne of Ahasuerus (euen in the begynnyng of his reygne) wrote they vnto hym a complaynte agaynst the en∣habitours of Iuda and Ierusalem. And in the dayes of Arthaxerses, wrote Mithridath Tabeell, and the other of his counsayle, vnto Arthaxerses the kynge of Persia with fayre wordes. And the scripture of the letter was wrytten in the Sirians speche, and interpre∣tated in the language of the Sirians. Rehum the recorder, and Samsai the scribe, wrote a letter frome Ierusalem to Arthaxerses the kynge, as it foloweth. Then Rehum the re∣corder, and Samset the scribe, and other of theyr companye of Dina, of Arphasath, of Tarpla, of Persia, of Arach, Of Babilon, of Susan, of Deha, of Elam, and other of the people whom the great and noble Asnapar brought ouer, and set in the cityes of Sama∣ria, and other, that are nowe on this syde the water. This is the copy of the letter that they sent vnto kynge Arthaxerses.

Thy seruauntes, and the men that are [unspec C] nowe on this syde the water. Be it knowen vnto the kynge, that the Iues whiche came vp from the to vs, are come vnto Ierusalem (a citye sedicious and frowarde) and buylde the same, and set vp the walles therof, & laye the foundacyons. Be it knowen nowe also vnto the kyng, that yf this citye be buylded, and the walles therof made vp agayne, then shall not they gyue toll, tribute, and custome, and the kynges profyte shal incur dāmage.

And nowe in the meane season we haue de∣stroyed the temple, & wolde no longer se the kynges dyshonoure. Therfore sent we oute also, and certified the kynge: that it maye be sought in the boke of Cronicles of thy proge¦nitours, and so shalte thou fynde in the boke of the Cronicles, and perceyue, that this citie is sedicious and noysome vnto kynges and land••, and that they cause other also among them to rebell of olde, and for the same cause was this citye destroyed. Therfore do we cer¦tifie the kynge, that yf this citye be buylded agayne, and the walles therof made vp; thou shalte hereafter haue no porcion on this syde the water. Then sente the kynge an answere vnto Rehum the recorder, and Samsai the

scrybe, and to the other of theyr companyons [unspec D] that dwelte in Samaria, and vnto the other that were beyonde the water, in S••lam and Cheheth. The letter whiche ye sent vnto vs, hath ben openly red before me, and I haue cōmaunded to make search: and it is found / that this citye of olde hath made insurrection agaynst kynges, and that rebellyon / and se∣dicion hath ben cōmytted therin. There haue ben myghty kyng{is} also at Ierusalem, which haue reygned ouer all countryes beyond the water: and tolle, trybute, and custome was gyuen vnto them: Gyue ye nowe therfore cō∣maundement, that the same men be forbyd∣den, & that the citye be not buylded agayne / tyll I haue gyuen another cōmaundement. Take hede nowe that ye be not neclygent to do this: for why shulde the kyng haue harme there thorowe? Now when the copye of kyng Arthaxerses letter was red before Rehū, and Simsai the scrybe and theyr companyons / they went vp in all the haste, to Ierusalem vnto the Iues, and forbad them with vyo∣lence, and power. Then ceased the worke of the house of God at Ierusalem, and conty∣nued so vnto the seconde yeare of Darius kynge of Persia.

¶ By the exhortacyon of Aggeus and zachary, in the temple buylded agayne.

CAPI. V.

THe Prophettes, Aggeus and Zachary [unspec A] the sonne of Iddo, prophecyed vnto the Iues that were in Iuda, & Ierusalem / in the name of the god of Israel. Then gat vp Zorobabell the sonne of Salathiell, and Iesua the Sonne of Iosedec, and began to buylde the house of God at Ierusalem / and with them were the prophettes of god, which helped them. At the same tyme came to them Tathnai / whiche was captayne on this syde the water, and Starbaznai, and theyr com∣panyons / and sayde thus vnto them:

Who hath commaunded you to buylde this house, and to make vp these walles? Then tolde we them the names of the men, that made this buyldynge. But the eye of theyr God was vpon the elders of the Iues, that they coulde not cause them to cease, tyll the matter was brought to Darius, and ☞ then they answered by letters therunto.

This is the copye of the letter that Tath∣nai [unspec B] (whiche was Captayne on this syde the water) and Starbaznai, and the coūsaylers of Apharsah (whiche were on this syde the water) sent vnto kyng Darius. And the mat∣ter that they sent vnto hym, was wryttē thus within the letter: Unto Darius the kyng, all peace. Be it knowen vnto the kynge, that we went in to the lande of Iurye to the house of the great God, which is buylded with mygh∣tye great stones, and beames are layde in the walles, and the worke goeth fast forth, and prospereth in theyr handes. Then asked we the elders, and sayde vnto them as it folow∣eth: Who commaunded you to buylde this house, and to make vp the walles therof?

We asked theyr names also, that we myght [unspec C] certifye the, and wryte the names of the men that were theyr rulers. But they answered vs with these wordes, and sayde: We are the seruauntes of hym, that is god of heuen and earth, and buylde the house that was buyl∣ded many yeres a go which a greate kynge of Israel buylded, and set vp. But after that our fathers had prouoked the God of heuen vnto wrath, he gaue them ouer in to the hande of Nabuchodonozer the kynge of Ba∣bilon, & of the Caldyes / whiche brake downe this house, and caryed the people away cap∣tyue vnto Babilon.

But in the fyrst yere of Cyrus the kyng of Babilon, the same kynge Cyrus gaue cō∣maundement [unspec D] concernyng this house of god / that it shulde be buylte agayne. And the ves∣sels of golde and syluer of the house of God, whiche Nabucodo••ozer toke out of the tem∣ple that was at Ierusalem, & brought them into temple at Babilon, those dyd Cyrus the kynge take out of the temple at Babilō, and they were delyuered vnto one Sasbazar by name, whome he made captayne, and sayde vnto hym: Take these vessels, & go thy way, and set them in the temple that is at Ierusa∣lem / and let the house of God be buylded in his place. Then came the same Sasbazar, and layde the foundacyō of the house of god, which is at Ierusalem. Synce that tyme also vntyll now hath it ben in buyldynge, & yet is it not finysshed. Yf it please the kynge nowe therfore, let there be searche made in the kyn∣ges librarie, which is there at Babilon, why∣ther it had ben kyng Cyrus cōmaundement, that this temple of god at Ierusalem shulde be buylded: and let hym sende vs the kynges mynde concernynge the same matter.

¶ At the cōmaundemente of Darius kynge of Persia. after the temple was buylded and dedicate, the Chyl∣dren of Israell kepte the feast of vnleuended breade.

CAPI. VI.

THen cōmaunded kynge Darius, & they [unspec A] made search in the librarye, euen in the place where they layde vp the treasure at Ba¦bilon. ❀ And there was founde in a Coffe•• (in the place that is in the land of the Med{is}••

a volume: and therein was it thus wrytten, and soche a memoryall: In the fyrst yeare of kynge Cirus, gaue the same kynge Cirus cō∣maundement concernynge the house of God at Ierusalem, that the same house shulde be buylded in the place where they offer the sa∣crifyces, ❀ and to ••oyne the walles togyther of thre score cubytes heyght, and thre score cu¦bytes bredth. Thre rowes of rough stones / and one rowe of tymber, & the expences shall be gyuen of the kynges house. And let the golde and syluer vessell of the house of God (whiche Nabuchodonozer toke oute of the temple at Ierusalem / and brought vnto Ba¦bilon) be restored, and brought agayne vnto the temple at Ierusalem to theyr place in the house of God.

Get you far••e from them therfore / thou [unspec B] Thahnai captayne beyonde the water / and Stharbuzanai, and your counsaylers, and Aphersechei / whiche are beyonde the water / get you away frō them. Let the worke of the house of this God alone, that the captayne of the Iues and theyr Elders maye buylde the house of god in his place. I haue cōmaūded what shall be done to the Elders of Iuda for the buyldyng of the house of God, that there shall be dylygent hede taken of the Kynges goodes, euen of the rentes beyond the water, & gyuen vnto the men, that they be not hyn∣dred. And yf they haue nede of calues ramm{is} and lambes, for the burnt offeryng of the god of heuen / wheate / salte, wyne and oyle / after the custome of the preestes at Ierusalem / let the same be gyuen them daylye without any delaye, that they may offer swete sauours vn¦to the god of heuen, and pray for the kynges lyfe / and for his Chyldren. And soche a com∣maundement haue I gyuen that what man soeuer he be that altereth this worde, there shall a beame be taken from his house, and set vp, and he shal be hanged theron, and his house shall be ❀ made a donghyll for the same thynge.

And the God that set his name there, de∣stroye [unspec C] all kynges, & people / that put to theyr hande to alter / & to breake downe that house of God whiche is at Ierusalem. I Darius haue cōmaūded, that this be done with spede Then Tathnai the captayne of the countrey beyonde the water, and Stharbuzanai with theyr counsaylers (to whome kynge Darius had sent) dyd theyr dilygence. And the El∣ders of the Iues buylded, and they prospe∣red thorowe the prophesyenge of Aggeus the Prophet and Zachary the son of Iddo: and they buylded, and layde v•• the foundacyon / accordynge to the cōmaundement of the god of Israell, and after the commaundement of Cyrus, and Darius & Arthaxerses kynges of Persia. And the house was finysshed the thyrde daye of the moneth Adar, euen in the syxte yere of the reygne of kynge Darius. And the Chyldren of Israell, the Preestes / the Leuites, & the other Chyldren of the cap∣tiuyte helde the dedicacyon of this house of God with ioye, and offered at the dedicacion of this house of God, an hundred Oxen, two hundred rammes, foure hūdred gootes: and for the reconcylynge of all Israell twelue he gootes, accordynge to the nombre of the try∣bes of Israell, and set the Preestes in theyr [unspec D] sondrye courses, and the Leuites in theyr dy∣uerse offices to minyster vnto God at Ieru∣salem, as it is wrytten in the boke of Moses.

And the Chyldren of the captyuyte helde Passeouer vpon the. x••iii. day of the fyrst mo¦neth: for the preestes and Leuites were pury¦fied, so that they were al cleane togyther, and kylled Passeouer for all the Chyldren of the captiuyte, and for theyr brethren the preestes, and for them selues. And the chyldren of Is∣raell which were come agayne out of the cap¦tiuyte, and all soche as had seperated them selues vnto them from the fylthynesse of the Heathen of the lande: to seke the Lorde God of Israell, dyd eate / and helde the feast of vn∣leuened breade seuen dayes with ioye: for the Lorde had made them glad, and turned the herte of the kynge of Assur vnto them, to strengthen theyr handes in the worke of the house of God / euen the God of Israell.

¶ By the cōmaundement of Arthaxerses, ••••dras ta••••eth hi•• companyo•••• the chyldren of Israel, & returneth to Ierusalē.

CAPI. VII.

AFter these actes, ther was in the reygne [unspec A] of Arthaxerses Kynge of Persia, one Esdras the son of Saraiah, the son of Azaria, the son of Helkia, the son of Sallum, the son of Zadoc, the son of Ahitob, the son of Ama∣ria, the sonne of Asaria, the sonne of Mera∣••oth, the sonne of Zeraia, the sonne of Uzi / the sonne of Bucki / the sonne of Abisua▪ the son of Phinehes / the sonne of Eleazar / the sonne of Aaron the cheyfe preest. This Esdras also went vp from Babilon / and was a perfyte scrybe in the law of Moses / which the lorde god of Israell dyd gyue. And the kyng gaue hym all that he requyred / bycause the hande of the Lorde his God was vpon hym. And there went vp certayne of the chyldren of Is∣raell / of the preestes / Leuites / syngers / por∣ters / and of the Nethinims vnto Ierusalem in the seuenth yere of kyng Arthaxerses.

And he came to Ierusalem in the fyfth mo∣neth / euen in the seuenth yeare of the kynge. For vpon the fyrst daye of the fyrst moneth / began he to go vp from Babilon / and on the fyrst daye of the fyfth moneth came he to Ie∣rusalem / bycause the good hand of god was vpon hym. For Esdras prepared his herte to seke the lawe of the lorde / and to do it / and to teache the precepte and iudgement in Israel.

And this is the copye of the letter / that [unspec B] kynge Arthaxerses gaue vnto Esdras the preest and scrybe / whiche was a wryter of the wordes and cōmaundementes of the Lorde and of his statutes ouer Israell. Arthax∣erses a kynge of kynges. Unto Esdras the Preest and Scrybe of the lawe of the God of heuen / peace & salutacyon. I haue cōmaun∣ded, that all they of the people of Israell, and of the preest{is} & Leuites in my realme (whiche are mynded of theyr owne good wyl to go vp to Ierusalem) go with the: and therfore arte thou sent of the kynge and of his seuen coun¦saylers / to vyset Iuda and Ierusalem, accor¦dynge to the lawe of thy god, which is in thy hande: And that thou shuldest take with the, syluer and golde / whiche the kynge and his counsaylers offer of theyr owne good wyl vn¦to the god of Israell (whose habitacyon is at Ierusalem) and all the syluer and golde that thou canst fynde in all the countrey of Babi∣lon, with it that the peple offer of theyr owne good wyl, and the preestes gyue for the house of theyr god whiche is at Ierusalem.

Take thou the same, & bye dilygently with [unspec C] the same money, oxen / rammes, and lambes, with theyr meate offerynges and drynke offe∣rynges / and thou shalte offer them vpon the aulter of the house of your God whiche is at Ierusalem. And loke what it lyketh the and thy brethren to do with the remenaunt of the money / that do after the wyll of youre God. And the vessels that are gyuen the for the mi¦nystracyon in the house of thy god, those de∣lyuer thou before God at Ierusalem. And whatsoeuer thynge more shall be nedeful for the house of thy God, whiche is necessary for the to spende, thou shalt receyue the charges out of the kynges treasure house. I kyng Ar¦thaxerses haue cōmaunded all the treasures beyonde the water, that loke whatsoeuer Es∣dras the Preest and scrybe in the lawe of the god of heuen, requireth of you, that ye fulfyl the same spedyly, vntyll an hundred talentes of syluer, vntyll an, C. quarters of wheate / and tyl an hundred Batthes of wyne, and tyl an hundred Batthes of oyle, and salte with∣out measure.

Whatsoeuer also belongeth to the law of the [unspec D] God of heuen, let the same be done without any delaye for the house of the god of heuen, that he be not wroth agaynst the realme, and agaynst the kynge, and his chyldren. And we certifye you, that ye haue no auctoryte to re∣quyre taxynge and custome, and yearly ren∣tes vpon any of the preest{is}, Leuites, syngers, porters, Nethinims, & minysters in the house of his god. And thou Esdras (after the wys∣dome of thy god, that is in thy hande) set iud∣ges & arbyterers (by my auctoryte) to iudge all the people that is beyond the water, euen all soche as knowe the lawe of thy God: and them that know it not, those se that ye teach. And whosoeuer wyll not fulfyll the lawe of thy god, and the kynges lawe, let hym haue his iudgement without delaye, whyther it be vnto death, or to be routed out, or to be con∣dempned in goodes, or to be put in pryson.

Blessed be the Lorde god of our fathers / whiche so hath inspired the kynges herte, to garnysshe the house of the lorde, that is at Ie¦rusalem: and enclyned his mercy vnto me ••n the presence of the kynge, and his counsay∣lers, and before all the kynges hygh estates. And I was comforted (euen as the hande of the Lorde my god was vpon me) and so ga∣thered I the heades of Israell togyther, that they myght go vp with me.

The nombre of them that returne to Ierusalē with Esdra••.

CAPI. VIII.

THese are the princypal fathers of them / [unspec A] and this is theyr regyster that went vp with me from Babilon, what tyme as kynge Arthaxerses reygned. Of the chyldren of Phinches, Gerson: of the chyldrē of Itha∣mar, Daniell: of the chyldren of Dauid, Ha∣tus: of the Chyldren of Zecania amonge the chyldren of Pharos, Zachary, and with hym were nombred an hundred and fyftye men. Of the Chyldren of the captayne, of Moa•• / Elioenai the sonne of Zerahia, and with him two hundred men. Of the chyldren of Zecha∣nia the sonne of Iahasiell, and with hym thre hundred men. Of the chyldren of Adin, Abed the sonne of Ionathan, and with hym fyftye men. Of the chyldren of Elam, Isai the Son of Athalia, and with hym seuentye men. Of the Chyldren of Saphatia, Zebadia the son of Michaell, and with hym foure score men.

Of the chyldren of Ioab, Obadia the son of Iehiell, and with hym two hundred and [unspec B] eyghtene men. Of the chyldren of Selomith, the sonne of Iosiphia, and with him an hun∣dred and thre score men. Of the Chyldren of Bebai, Zachary the Sonne of Bebai, & with

hym eyght and. xx. men. Of the chyldren of Asgad, Iohanan, the Son of Hakatan, and with hym an hundred and ten men. Of the Chyldren of Adonicam, that were the laste / whose names were these: Eliphelet, Iehiell, and Samaiah, and with them thre score men Of the chyldren of Biguai, Uthai / and Za∣bud, and with them seuentye men. And I ga∣thered them togyther by the water that ren∣neth toward Aha••a, and there abode we thre dayes. And I loked amonge the people and the Preestes & founde there none of the chyl∣dren of Leui.

Then sent I to Elieser, to Ariel, Semeia, [unspec C] Elnathan / Iarib / Elnathan / Nathan / Za∣chary and to Mesullam the rulers, and to Ioiarib and Elnathan whiche were men of vnderstandynge / and to those gaue I com∣maundement vnto Iddo the cheyfest at Cas∣phia / that they shulde fetch vs minysters for the house of our god, and I tolde them what they shulde saye vnto Iddo, and to his bre∣thren the Nethinims at Casphia. And (tho∣rowe the good hande of oure God vpon vs) they brought vs a wyse man from amonge the chyldren of Moholi the Sonne of Leui / the sonne of Israell, and Sarabia with his sonnes and his brethren, euen eyghtene. And Hasabia, and with hym Isai of the chyl¦dren of Merari / with his brethren and theyr sonnes twentye.

And of the Nethinims / whome Dauid & [unspec D] the Prynces gaue to minyster vnto the Le∣uites, two hūdred and twentye of Nethinim, whiche all were named by name. And euen there at the water, besyde Ahaua, I procla∣med a fast, that we myght humble ourselues before our god, and seke of hym a ryght way for vs, and for our chyldren and for our sub∣staunce. For I was ashamed to requyre of the kynge, souldyers and horsemen / to helpe vs agaynste the enemye in the waye: but we sayd vnto the kynge: The hande of our god is vpon all them that seke hym in goodnesse, and ❀ (his dominyon) his violence & wrath is agaynst all them that forsake hym. So we fasted, and besought our god for this, and he herde vs.

And I toke out twelue of the cheyfe pree∣stes, [unspec E] Sarabia and Hasabia, and ten of theyr brethren with them, & weyed them the syluer and golde, and vessels that were appyonted for the house of oure God, whiche the kynge and his counsaylers and his Lordes / and all Israell that there were at hande, had gyuen togyther. And I weyed vnto theyr hande sixe hundred and fyftye talentes of syluer, and in syluer vessell an hundred talentes, and in golde an hundred talentes: twentye basens of golde of a thousand peces, and two costly ornament{is} of good brasse as cleare as golde: and I sayde vnto them: Ye are consecrate vn to the lorde, lyke as the vessels are holy also, and the golde & syluer are gyuen of a good wyll vnto the Lorde God of your fathers. Watch ye, & kepe it: for ye shal weye it downe before the cheyfe Preestes and Leuites, and auncient fathers of Israell at Ierusalem in the treasuryes of the house of the Lorde.

Then toke the preestes and Leuites that [unspec F] weyed syluer and golde and vessel to brynge it to Ierusalem, vnto the house of our God. And we brake vp, from the water of Ahaua on the twelueth daye of the fyrste moneth, to go vnto Ierusalem: and the hande of oure God was vpon vs, and delyuered vs from the hande of the enemyes, & of so••h as layde wayte for vs by the way. And we came to Ie∣rusalem, and abode there thre dayes. But on the fourth daye was the syluer, & Golde and vessel weyed in the house of our God, by the hande of Meremoth the Sonne of Uria the preest, and with hym was Eleazar the sonne of Phy••ches, and with them was Iosabad the sonne of Iesua, and Noadia the sonne of Benoi the Leuites.

Accordynge to the nombre and weyght of [unspec G] euery one, was the weyght all wrytten vp at the same tyme. And the chyldren of the capti∣uyte, which were come out of pryson, offered burntofferynges vnto the god of Israel: xii. bullockes for al Israel: nynety and syre ram∣mes, seuentye and seuen Lambes, twelue he gootes for a synofferynge, all to the burntof∣feryng of the Lorde. And they delyuered the kynges commyssyon vnto the kynges offy∣cers, and to the captaynes that were o•• this syde the water. And they promoted the peo∣ple and the house of God.

¶ Esdra•• complayneth on the people that had ••••rned them selues from god, and maryed with the gentyles.

CAPI. IX.

WHen these thynges were done, the ru∣lers [unspec A] came to me, and sayd: The people of Israell, and the preestes, and Leuites are not separated from the people of the landes, (as touchyng theyr abhominacons) namely of the Cananites, Hethites, Pheresites, Ie∣busites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorytes. For they haue taken the doughters of the same to them selues, and to theyr sonnes, and the holy seede is myxt with the nacyons in the landes: and the hande of the prynces and rulers hath ben pryncypall

in this trespasse. And when I herde this saynge / I rent my clothes and my rayment / and piuckte of the heere of my heade, and of my beerde, and sat mournyng. And there re∣sorted vnto me all soch as feared the wordes of the the lorde God of Israel, bycause of the transgressyon of the people of the captiuite.

And I sat mournynge vntyll the eue∣nynge [unspec B] sacrifyce. And aboute the euenyng sa∣crifyce, I rose vp from my heuynes, and rent my clothes and my rayment, and fell vpon my knees, and spred out my handes vnto the Lorde my God, and sayde:

My god, I am ashamed, and dare not lyf•• vp myne eyes vnto the my god: for our wye∣kednesses are growen ouer oure heade, and our trespasse is waxen great vnto the heuen. Synce the tyme of our fathers haue we ben in great trespasse vnto this daye / and by∣cause of our wyckednesses haue we and oure kynges ben delyuered in to the hande of the kynges of the nacyons, into the swerde, in to captiuyte, into shame, and into confusyon of face / as it is to se this day. And now is there a lytle and sodayne gracyousnesse come from the Lorde our God, in causynge some of vs to escape / and that he maye gyue vs a nayle [unspec C] in his holy place / & that our god maye lyght our eyes / & gyue vs a lytle lyfe to take breth in our bondage. For we are bondmen / & our God hath not forsaken vs in oure bondage / & hath enclyned mercye vnto vs in the syght of the kynges of Persia, to gyue vs lyfe, to set vp the house of oure God, and to redresse the desolacyon therof, and to gyue vs a wall in Iuda and Ierusalem. And nowe, O oure god, what sha•••• we say after this? for we haue forsaken thy cōmaundementes, whiche thou hast cōmaunded by thy seruauntes the Pro∣phettes, sayenge: The lande vnto whiche ye go to possesse it, is an vncleane land, bycause of the fylthynesse of the people of the landes / whiche w^t theyr abhominacyons haue made it full of vnclennesse on euery syde.

Therfore shal ye not gyue your dough¦ters vnto theyr sonnes, and theyr doughters [unspec D] shall ye not take vnto youre sonnes, nor seke theyr peace and welth for euer, that ye maye be stronge, and enioye the good in the lande / and that ye and your chyldren may haue the enherytaunce of it for euermore. And after that all these thynges are come vpon vs (by∣cause of our euyl dedes and great trespasses) thou our god hast ☞ thrust downe our wye∣kednesses, and hast gyuen vs a delyueraūce, ❀ (as it is come to passe this day. And yf we turne backe agayne to let go thy cōmaunde∣mentes, and make contracte with the people of these abhominacyons, wylte thou not then be wroth at vs, (and not without cause) tyll we be vtterly consumed, so that nothinge re∣mayne, and tyll there be no delyueraunce? O Lorde god of Israel, thou art ryghteous, for we remayne yet escaped, as it is to se this daye. Beholde also, in thy presence are we in oure trespasses / and bycause of it may we not stande before the.

¶ The people repente, and turn••: and put away theyr straunge wyues.

CAPI. X.

ANd when Esdras prayed after this [unspec A] maner, and knowledged, wept, and lay before the house of God / there resorted vnto hym out of Israell a very greate con∣gregacyon of men / and women / and Chyl∣dren: and the people wept very sore. And Se¦chania the son of Iehiell one of the chyldren of Elam, answered, and sayde vnto Esdras: We haue trespassed agaynst our god, & haue taken straunge wyues of the people of the lande. Nowe there is hope yet in Israell con¦cernynge this thyng: For nowe we wyl make a couenaunt with our god, and put away all the wyues (and soch as are borne of them) ac∣cordynge to the counsayle of the Lorde, and we wyll be in the feare of the cōmaūdement{is} of our God, that we maye do accordynge to the lawe. Get thevp, for this matter belōgeth vnto the. We also wyl be with the, be of good comforte therfore, and do it.

Then rose Esdras, and toke an othe of the cheyfe Preestes and Leuites, and of all [unspec B] Israell / that they shulde do accordynge to this word: and they sware. And Esdras stode vp from before the house of God, and wente in to the chamber of Iohanan the Sonne of Eliasib. And when he came thyther, he dyd eate no bread, nor drynke water: for he mour∣ned bycause of the transgressyon of the peple that had ben in captiuyte. And they caused & proclamacyon to go thorowout Iuda, and Ierusalem / vnto all the chyldren whiche had ben in captiuyte, that they shuld gather them selues togyther vnto Ierusalem: And that whosoeuer came not within thre dayes accor¦dyng to the deuyce of the rulers and Elders / al his substaunce shulde be forfet, & he shuld be put out from the congregacion of the cap∣tyue. Then all the men of Iuda and Benia∣min gathered them selues togyther vnto Ie∣rusalem within thre dayes, euen the twentye daye of the nyenth moneth: and all the peple sat in the strete before the house of God / and trembled bycause of this matter, and for the

rayne. And Esdras the Preest stode vp, and sayd vnto them. Ye haue transgressed, and haue taken straūge wyues, to make the tres∣passe of Israell yet more: confesse nowe ther∣fore vnto the Lorde god of your fathers, and do his pleasure, and seperate your selues frō the people of the lande, and from the straūge wyues. And all the congregacyon answered / and sayde with a loude voyce: It shall be so / and we wyll do as thou hast sayde. But the people are many, and it is a raynye wether, and the people are to faynt to tarye without in the streete, neyther is this a worke of one daye or two / for we haue offended very sore in this thynge. Let our rulers stand therfore in all the cōgregacyon, and let al them which haue taken straunge wyues in oure Cityes come at the tyme appoynted, and let the El∣ders of euery citye and theyr Iudges be with them, tyll they haue turned the wrath of oure god away from vs concernyng this matter.

Then were appoynted Ionathan the son [unspec C] of Asahel, and Iahasia the sonne of Thekua ouer this matter: And Mesullam and Sa∣bathat the Leuites helped them. And the chyl¦dren of the captiuyte dyd euen so. And Es∣dras the preest, and the auncient heades tho∣••o we the house of theyr Fathers, (all men of great fame) seperated them selues, and sat them downe on the fyrst day of the tenth mo∣neth, to examen the matter. And vntyll the fyrst day of the fyrst moneth they were finys∣shynge the busynesse with all the men that had taken straunge wyues. And amonge the chyldren of the preestes there were men foūd that had taken straunge wyues, namely a∣monge the chyldren of Iesua the son of Io∣sedec and of his brethren, Masiah, and Elie∣zer, Iarib & Gedalia. And they gaue theyr hand{is} there vpon, that they wolde put awaye theyr wyues, and for theyr trespasse offeryng, to gyue a Ram for theyr trespas. And among the chyldren in Emer, Honani, and Zabadia. Amonge the Chyldren of Harim, Maasia / Elia / Semeiah▪ Iehtel / & Usia. Amonge the Chyldren of Phashur, Elioenai, Maasia / Ismaell / Nethanell / Iosabad and Elasa. Amonge the Leuites, Iosabad / Simei / and Kela••a (which same is Kalithah) Pathahiah Iuda and Eliazar. Among the syngers also, Eliasib. And amonge the porters Sellum / and Telem and Uri.

And of Israell. Amonge the chyldren of [unspec D] Phathos / Remia / Iesia / Malchia, Miamin Eliazar / Malchia / and Banaia. Among the the Chyldren of Elam / Methania / Zachati / Iehiell / Abdy / Ierimoth and Elia. Amonge the chyldren of Zathu Elioenai, Eliasib, Ma∣thania / Ierimoth / Zabad and Aziza.

Amonge the chyldren of Bebai / Iehohanan Hanania / Zabai and Athalai. Amonge the chyldrē of Beni / Mesulam, Maluc, Adaiah, Iasub / Saall and Ierimoth. Amonge the chyldrē of the captayne Moab, Adna, Cholal Benaia, Masia, Mathania / Bezelell, Benui and Manasse. Amonge the Chyldren of Ha∣rim, Eliezer / Iesia / Malchia / Semeia, and Simeon: Ben Iamin / Malluch and Sa∣maria. Amonge the chyldren of Hasum, Ma¦thanai / Mathathah / Zabad, Eliphelet, Ie∣remi, Manasse and Simei. Among the chyl∣dren of Bani, Madai, Amram, Huel, Bane•• Cheluhi, Badaiah, Uaniah, Maremoth, & Eliasib / Mathania, Mathanai, Iaesai, Ba∣ni, Beni, and Semeiah, Selemia. Nathan / and Adaia, Machnadba••, Sa••ai, and sarai, Asarell, Selemiahu, and Samariah, Sal∣lum / Amaria, and Ioseph, Amonge the chyldren of Nebo, Ieh••ell, Mathathia, Zabad / Zabina, Iadai, Ioell, and Banaia. All these had taken straūge wyues. And among the same, there were some, that had chyldren by the wyues.

¶ The ende of the fyrst boke of Esdras. ❧ ❀ ❧

¶ The second boke of Esdras, otherwyse called the Boke of Nehemia.

¶ Nehemia, butle•• to kynge Iethax••••s••••, pr••••eth to God for the people.

CAPI. Primo.

THe wordes of Nehemia / [unspec A] the sonne of Hachalia. It fortu∣ned in the moneth ☞ Chisleu in the twentye yere, that I was in the castell at Susan: and Hanan•• one of my brethren came with certayne men of Iuda, & I asked them howe the Iues dyd that were delyuered & escaped from the captiuyte, and howe it went at Ierusalem▪ And they sayde vnto me: The remenaunt of the captiuyte are there in the land in great misfortune and rebuke. The wall of Ierusalem also is bro∣ken downe / and the gates therof are butnte with fyre.

It fortuned / that when I herde these word{is} / [unspec B] I sat me downe and ••••••te / and mourned ce••

tayne dayes, and fasted / and prayed before the god of heuen / and sayde. O Lorde god of heuen / thou great and terryble God / thou that kepest couenaunt and mercye for them that loueth the, and obserue thy cōmaunde∣mentes: let thyne eares herken / I besech the / and let thyne eyes be open / that thou mayest heare the prayer of thy seruaunt, whiche I praye nowe before the / daye and nyght / for the chyldren of Israell thy seruauntes / and knowledge the synnes of the chyldren of Is∣raell / whiche we haue synned agaynst the.

I and my fathers house haue synned. We [unspec C] haue bene vtterly dyspersed from thy lawe / and haue not kepte thy commaundementes / statutes and lawes / whiche thou commaun∣dedst thy seruaunt Moses. I beseche the / cal to remembraunce the worde that thou com∣maūdedst thy seruaunt Moses / and saydest: Ye wyll transgresse / and I wyl scatter you abrode amonge the nacions. But yf ye turne vnto me / and kepe my cōmaūdementes and do them: though ye were cast out vnto the vt ••ermoost parte of heuen / yet wyll I gather you from thence / and wyll brynge you vnto the place / that I haue chosen to set my name there. They are thy seruauntes / and thy peo∣ple / whome thou ••ast delyuered thorowe thy greate power, and in thy myghtye hande. O lorde / I beseche the / let thyne eare herken to the prayer of thy seruaunt / & to the prayer of thy seruaūtes / whose desyre is to feare thy name / and let thy seruaunt prospere this day and graunt hym mercye in the syght of this man: for I was the kynges butlar.

¶ After N••hemia had obteyned letters of Arthaxer∣ses, he cometh to Ierusalem, and ••••yldeth the walle••.

CAPI. II.

IT fortuned, that in the moneth Nisan [unspec A] in the twentyeth yere of kynge Arthaxer∣ses, the wyne stode before hym, and I toke vp the wyne, and gaue it vnto the kyng, and I was heuy in his presence. And the kynge sayd vnto me: why lokest thou so sadly, when thou art not sycke•• it is nothyng els, but that thou art heuy herted. And I was sore afrayd, and sayd vnto the kyng: God saue the kyng{is} lyfe for euer. Howe shulde I not loke sadly / when the citye and place of my fathers bury∣all lyeth wast, and the gates therof are con∣sumed with fyre? And the kynge sayde vnto me: what is then thy request? I made my prayer also to the God of heuen, and sayd vn to the kynge: Yf it please the kyng, and yf thy seruaunt haue founde fauour in thy syght / send•• me into Iuda vnto the citye of my fa∣thers buryall, that I maye buylde it.

And the kynge sayde vnto me (the quene [unspec B] his wyfe syttynge by hym) howe longe shall thy iourney contynue, and when wy••te thou come agayne? And it pleased the kynge to sende me, and I set hym a tyme, and sayd vn∣to the kynge: yf it please the Kynge, let hym gyue me letters to the captaynes whiche are beyonde the water, that they may conuey me ouer, tyll I come in to Iuda: and letters vn∣to Asaph the Lorde of the kynges wood, that he maye gyue me tymber to make beames ☞ for the gates of the palace (which is herde by the house) and for the walles of the citye, and for the house that I shall entre into▪ And the kynge gaue me accordynge to the hande of my god, whiche was good vpon me. And when I came to the captaynes beynde the water, I gaue them the kynges letters: And the kynge had sent captaynes and horsemen with me. Sanabalat also the Horonite and Tobia a seruaunt (the Ammonite) herde of it, & it greued them sore, that there was ••••me a man whiche sought the welth of the chyl∣dren of Israell.

And I came to Ierusalem, and was there [unspec C] thre dayes, and I gat me vp in the nyghtse•• son, and a fewe men with me: neyther tolde I any man, what God had gyuen me in my herte to do at Ierusalem: and there was not one beast with me, saue it that I rode vpon. And I departed in the nyght by the valley porte, before the Dragon well, & to the dong porte, and consydered the walles of Ierusa∣lem, howe they were broken downe, and the portes therof consumed with the fyre. And I went ouer vnto the welporte, & to the kynges conduite, & there was no rowme for the brast that was vnder me, to passe. Then ••••nt I on in the nyght by the broke syde, and cōsydered the wall, and turned backe, and came h••me agayne by the valley porte.

And the rulers knewe not whyther I went [unspec D] or what I dyd: neyther dyd I as yet tell it vn to the Iues, to the preestes, to the noble men / to the rulers, and to the other that laboured in the worke. Then sayde I vnto them: ye se the myserye that we are in, howe Ierusalem lyeth waste, and howe the gates therof are burnt with fyre: come therfore, that we maye buylde vp the the walle of Ierusalem, and that we be no more a r••buke. And I tolde them of the hande of my God, (that it was gracyous ouer me) and the kynges wordes that he had spoken vnto me. And they sayd: let vs get vp and buylde: and ☞ they streng∣thed theyr hande to good.

But when Sanabalat the Horonyte, and

Tobia the seruant (an Ammonite,) & Gesem the Arabian herde it, they laughed vs to scorne, and mocked vs, and sayde: What is this that ye do? wyll ye fall awaye from the kynge? Then answered I them, and sayd: the God of heuen, he it is that hath graunted vs prosperite: & we be his seruantes. Let vs get vp & buylde. As for you / ye haue no porcyon nor ryght / nor remembraunce in Ierusalem.

¶ The nombre of them that buylded the walles.

CAPI. III.

ANd Eliasib the hygh Preest gat hym [unspec A] vp with his brethren the Preestes, and they buylded the shepegate. They re∣payred it, and set vp the dores of it: euen vn∣to the towre Mea repayred they it, and vnto the towre of Hananeell. Nexte vnto hym also buylded the men of Ierico. And besyde hym buylded Sachur the son of Amri. But the fysshe porte dyd the Chyldren of Senaa buylde, whiche also layed the beames therof, and set on the dores, lockes and barres of it. And nexte vnto hym buylded Meremoth the sonne of Uria / the sonne of Hakoz: and nexte vnto them buylded Mesulam the Sonne of Berechia the sonne of Mesesabeell: and next vnto hym buylded Zadoc the son of Baana. And next vnto hym buylded they of Thekoa

But the great men that were among them, [unspec B] putte not theyr neckes to the worke of theyr Lorde. The Oldegate buylded Iehoiada the sonne of Paseah, and Mesulam the sonne of Besodia / they layde the beames therof, and set on the dores, lockes and barres of it. Next vnto them / buylded Malatiah of Gibeon, & Iadon of Merano, men of Gibeon, and of Mizpa, where he that was captayne on this syde the water had a mansyon. Nexte vnto hym buylded Usiell the son of Harhaiah the golde smyth. Nexte vnto hym also buylded Hananiah the son of Harakahym, and they repayred Ierusalem vnto the brode walle.

Nexte vnto them buylded Raphaiah the [unspec C] sonne of Hur, the ruler of the halfe parte of Ierusalem. Next vnto hym buylded Iedaia the son of Harumaph ouer agaynst his house & nexte vnto hym buylded Hatus the son of Hasabnia. But Melchia the son of Harim, & Hasub the son of the captayne of Moab buyl¦ded the other pece, and the towre besyde the fornaces. Nexte vnto hym buylded Sallum a syngers son, the ruler of the halfe parte of Ierusalem, he and his doughters.

The valley gate buylded Hanun, and the citezyns of Zanoa. They buylded it, & set on the dores, lockes & barres therof, and a. M. cubytes on the wall, vnto the Dongeporte.

But the Dongeporte buylded Melchiah [unspec D] the sonne of Rechab, the ruler of the fourth parte of Betheharē: he repayred it, and set on the dores, lockes and barres therof. But the wel gate repayred Sallum the son of Chol∣hosah, the ruler of the fourth part of Mizpa. He buylded it, and layde the beames, and set on the dores, lockes / and barres therof / and the wall vnto the pole of Siloah by the kyng{is} garden, and vnto the steppes that go downe from the citye of Dauid. After hym buylded Nehemiah the sonne of As••ocke, the ruler of the halfe parte of Bethzur, vntyll the other syde ouer agaynst the scpulchres of Dauid / and to the pole that was repayred, and vnto the house of the myghtye. After hym buylded the Leuites / Rehum the sonne of Bani: and nexte vnto hym buylded Hasabia the ruler of the halfe parte of Keilah in his quarter.

After hym buylded theyr brethren, Beua•• [unspec E] the sonne of Henadad / the ruler of the halfe parte of Keilah: and after hym buylded Ezer the Sonne of Iesua the ruler of Mizpa the other pece, herde ouer agaynst the goyng vp to the house of ordynaūce that was in the cor¦ner. Agayne, after hym brake forth Baruch the son of Zachai of indignacyon, and repay¦red the other pece from the turnynge corner vnto the dore of the house of Eliasib the high preest. After hym also buylded Merimoth the son of Uria the son of Hacos the other pece / from the dore of the house of Eliasib, euen as longe as the house of Eliasib extended. After hym buylded the prest{is}, the men of the playne After hym buylded Beniamin & Hasub ouer agaynst theyr house and after hym wrought Asaria the son of Maasia the son of Anania nexte vnto his house. After him also buylded [unspec F] Benui the sonne of Hanadad the other pece, from the house of Asaria vnto the turnynge of the wall, and vnto the corner.

After hym buylded Pala the sonne of Usai ouer agaynst the corner and the hygh towre / which lyeth out ouer from the kynges house, that was besyde the courte of the pryson. Af∣ter hym Phedaia the sonne of Pharhos (as for the Nethinims they dwelte in the stronge holde vnto the watergate, towarde the cast / and to the towre that lyeth out.) After hym buylded they of Thekua the other pece ouer agaynst the great towre, that lyeth outward, vnto the wall of the stronge holde.

But from aboue the Horsgate forth, buyl¦ded the preestes, euery one ouer agaynst his [unspec G] house. And after them buylded Zadock the son of Immer ouer agaynst his house. After hym buylded also Semeia the sonne of Se∣chania

the keper of the East gate. After hym buylded Hanania the sonne of Selemia, and Hanun the sonne of Zalaph the syxte, the o∣ther pece. And after hym buylded Mesulam the sonne of Bara••hia ouer agaynst his store house. After hym bulded Malchia the golde smythes sonne, vntyll the house of the Nithi∣nims, and of the merchauntes ouer agaynst the gate of Mephkad, and to the parlour in the coruer. And bytwene the parloure of the corner vnto the shepe gate buylded the golde smythes and the merchauntes.

¶ The buyldynge of Ierusalem is hyndered and let: but the Iues buylde it, beynge redy harnessed, lest theyr enemyes shulde inuade them.

CAPI. IIII.

BUt whē Sanabalat herde that we buyl¦ded [unspec A] the wall, he was wrothe in hym selfe and toke great indygnacyon, & mocked the Iues, and sayde before his brethren & the souldyours of Samaria: what do these im∣potent Iues? wyll the heathen suffre them? shall they offre? shal they perfourme it in one daye? shall they make the stones hole agayne that are brought to dust, and burnt. And To¦biah the Ammonite was besyde hym, & sayd. Though they buylde, yet yf a foxe go vp, he shall breake downe theyr stonye wall. Heare (O thou our God) for we are despised, turne theyr shame vpon theyr owne heade, & gyue them ouer in to despisyng in the land of theyr captiuite. Couer not theyr wyckednesse, and let not theyr synne be put out in thy presence: for they haue prouoked the buylders, And so buylded we the wall, and it was ioyned hole togyther, vnto the halfe heyght therof. And the people were mynded to laboure.

And it fortuned, that when Sanabalat, & [unspec B] Tobiah, & the Arabians, Ammonites, & Asdo¦dites herde, that the wall{is} of Ierusalem were made vp, & that the gappes began to be stop¦ped, they were very wroth, and conspired all togyther, to come and fyght agaynst Ierusa¦lem, & to make the people an hynderaūce ther¦in. Neuerthelesse, we made our prayer vnto our god, & set watchmen by them, which buyl¦ded day and nyght ouer agaynst them. And Iuda sayd, the strength of the bearers is to feble, & there is yet moche morter, and we are not able to buylde on the wal, and our aduer¦saryes sayde: they shal not knowe neyther se, tyl we come in the myddes among them, and fley them, and hynder the worke. But it for∣tuned, that when the Iues (whiche dwelte besyde them) came, they tolde vs as good as ten tymes, that in all places where we go vnto, they are appoynted to fall vpon vs. [unspec C]

Therfore set I the people after theyr kyn¦reddes with theyr swerdes, speres and bowes beneth in the lowe places behynde the wall, & I loked, & gat me vp, & sayde vnto the cheyfe men, to the rulers, & to the other peple: be not ye afrayde of them, but thynke rather vpon the great Lorde whiche ought to be feared, & fyght for youre brethren, your sonnes, your doughters, your wyues, & your houses. Ne∣uertheles it chaūced, that when our enemyes herde, that we had gotten worde of it: God brought theyr counsayle to nought, & we tur∣ned all agayne to the wal, euery one vnto his labour. And from that tyme forth it came to passe, that the halfe parte of the yong mē dyd the laboure, & the other halfe parte of them helde the speres, sheldes, bowes, & brest pla∣tes: and the rulers stode behynde al the house of Iuda, whiche buylded on the wall, & bare burdens, from those that laded them. With one hande dyd euery one worke, and with the other helde he his weapon.

And euery one that buylded, had his swerd [unspec D] gyrde by his thygh, and so buylded they. And the trompet blewe besyde me. And I sayd vn¦to the principal men, to the rulers, and to the other people: the worke is greate and large, and we are separated vpon the wall one farre from an other. Loke in what place therfore ye heare the noyse of the trompet, resorte ye thyther vnto vs, and our God shall fyght for vs, & we wyll be labouryng in the worke. And the halfe parte of them helde the speres from the mornynge sprynge, tyll the sterres came forth. And at the same tyme sayd I vn∣to the people: euery one abyde with his ser∣uaunt at Ierusalem, that in the nyght season we may watche, and labour on the day tyme. As for me and my brethren, my seruauntes, and the men of the watche (whiche were be∣hynde me) we put neuer of oure clothes, no more then the other dyd theyr harnesse, saue onely bycause of the water.

¶ The people are vexed with hunger. He requireth not the lyuynge of a captayne.

CAPI. V.

ANd there arose a greate complaynte of [unspec A] the people, and of theyr wyues agaynst theyr brethren the Iues. For there were some that sayde: our sonnes and doughters and we are to many, therfore wyll we take corne for them, that we may eate, and lyue. Some also there were that sayde: let vs see our landes, vyneyardes & houses to pledge, and take vp corne in the derth.

But some there were that sayde: let vs borow money for the kynges tribute and that vpon our landes and vyneyardes. Beholde, oure

bodyes as the bodyes of our brethren, & oure chyldren as theyr chyldren: els shulde we sub due our sonnes & doughters vnto bondage, and some of our doughters are subdued vn∣to bondage alredy, and no strength is there in our handes, and other men haue our lan∣des and vyneyardes.

And when I herde theyr complaynte, and suche wordes, it displeased me sore, and I [unspec B] aduysed so in my mynde, that I rebuked the counsellours, and the rulers, and sayde vnto them: euery one of you is to chargeable vnto his brother. And I brought a great congre∣gacyon agaynst them, and sayd vnto them. We (after our abilite) haue bought our bre∣thren the Iues, whiche were solde vnto the hethen. And wyll ye sell your brethren agayn vnto the heathen, after that they haue bene solde vnto vs? Then helde they theyr peace, and coulde fynde nothynge to answere. And Nehemia sayde: It is not good that ye do. Ought ye not to walke in the feare of God / bycause of the rebuke of the heathen that are oure enemyes? I and my brethren, and my seruauntes do lende them money and corne: but as for vsurye let vs leaue it. Therfore, this same daye I praye you se that ye restore them theyr land{is} agayne / theyr vyneyardes / oyle gardens / and theyr houses / and remytte the hundred parte of the money / of the corne / wyne and oyle that ye haue wonne of them.

Then sayde they: We wyll restore them [unspec C] agayne, and wyll requyre nothynge of them, and wyll do as thou hast spoken. And I cal∣led the preest{is}, and toke an othe of them, that they shulde do so. And I shoke my lap, and sayd▪ God shake out euery mā after the same maner from his house & laboure, that mayn∣teyneth not this worde: euen thus be he sha∣ken out, and voyde. And all the cōgregacyon sayde: Amen, and praysed the Lorde. And the peple dyd so. And frō the tyme forth that (the kynge) cōmytted vnto me to be a captayne of them, that were in the lande of Iuda, euen from the twentye yeare vnto the. xxxii. yeare of kyng Arthaxerses (that is twelue yeare) I with my brethrē lyued not of such sustenaūce as was gyuen to a captayne: for the olde cap∣taynes that were before me, had bene charge∣able vnto the people, and had taken of them breade and wyne, and .xl. sycles of syluer: yea & theyr seruauntes had oppressed the people.

But so dyd not I, and that bycause of the [unspec D] feare of GOD. But I laboured also in the worke vpon the wall, and bought no lande. And all my seruauntes came thyther togy∣ther vnto the worke. Moreouer, there were at my table an hundred & fyftye of the Iues & rulers, whiche came vnto me, from among the hethen, that are about vs. And there was prepared for me dayly an oxe, and syx chosen shepe, and byrdes, & euer once in ten dayes a great sūme of wyne. Yet requyred not I the lyuynge of a captayne, for the bondage was greuous vnto the people. Thynke vpon me (my god) vnto the best, accordynge to all that I haue done for this people.

¶ The buyldynge so ye•• agayne hyndered, and le••••e.

CAPI. VI.

ANd when Sanabalat, Tobiah and Ge¦sem [unspec A] the Arabian, and the other of oure enemyes herde that I had buylded the wall, & that there were no mo gappes therin (howbeit at the same tyme had I not han∣ged the dores vpon the gates) Sanabalat & Gesem sent vnto me, sayenge: come, that we may mete & take counsel togyther in the vyl∣lages that are in the playne of the citye Ono. Neuerthelesse they thought to do me euyll. And I sent messengers vnto them, sayenge. I haue a great busynes to do, and I can not come downe. The worke shulde stande styll, yf I were ne••lygent, and came downe to you. Howbeit, they sent vnto me as good as. iiii. tymes after the same maner, & I gaue them the same answere.

Then sent Sanabalat his seruaunt a∣gayne [unspec B] vnto me the fyfth tyme, with an open letter in his hande, wherin was wrytten: it is tolde the heathen, and Gesem hath fayde it, that thou, and the Iues thynke to rebell: for the whiche cause thou buyldest the wall, that thou mayst be theyr kynge in these mat∣ters, and haste ordeyned the Prophettes to preache of the at Ierusalem, and to saye: He is kyng of Iuda. And nowe shall this come to the kynges eares: come now therfore, and let vs take our counsel togyther. And I sent vnto hym, saynge: There is no suche thyng{is} done as thou sayst: for thou faynest them out of thyne owne herte. For they were all myn∣ded to make vs afrayde, sayenge: they shall withdraw theyr handes from the worke, that it shall not be fynysshed. Howbeit, I streng∣thed my hande the more.

And I came vnto the house of Semaia [unspec C] the sonne of Delata, the son of Mehetabeel, and he had shut hym selfe within, and sayde: let vs come togyther into the house of God, euen vnto the myddes of the temple, & shut the dores of the temple: for they wyll come to sley the, yea euen in the nyght wyll they come to put the to death.

And I sayd: shulde any suche man as I flee?

Who is that, beynge as I am, that wyll go in to the temple, to saue his lyfe? I wyll not go in. And I perceyued, that god had not sent hym: yet spake he prophecie vpō me, ne∣uerthelesse Tobiah and Sanabalat had hy∣red hym for money. Therfore toke he the mo¦ney that through feare I shulde so do, & syn: that they myght haue an euyll reporte of me to blaspheme me. My God thynke thou vpō Tobiah, and Sanabalat, accordynge vnto these theyr workes, and of the prophet Noa∣dia, and of the other prophettes, that wolde haue put me in feare. And the wall was fy∣nysshed [unspec D] on the fyue and twentye daye of the moneth Elul, in two and fyftye dayes. And when all our enemyes herde therof, al the he∣then that were aboute vs, were afrayde, and theyr courage fayled them. And they percey∣ued, that this worke came of our god. And at the same tyme were there many of the cheyfe of Iuda, whose letters wente vnto Tobiah, & agayne from Tobiah vnto them (for there were many in Iuda that were sworne vnto hym: for he was the sonne in lawe of Secha∣nia the sonne of Arah, and his sonne Ieho∣nathan had the doughter of Mesullam the sonne of Barachia, and they spake good of hym before me, and tolde hym my wordes▪ & Tobiah sent letters to put me in feare.

¶ After the walle once buylded is the watche appoynted. They that returned from the captiuyte are nombred

CAPI. VII.

NOwe whē the wall was buylded, I han¦ged [unspec A] on the dores also, and the porters, syngers and Leuites were appoynted. And I cōmaunded my brother Hanani, and Hanama the ruler of the castel at Ierusalem for he was a faythfull man, and feared God more then dyd many other, and I sayd vnto them: let not the gates of Ierusalem be ope∣ned, vntyll the sonne be hote. And whyle they were standynge in the watche, they shut the dores and barred them. And we appoynted certayne citysens of Ierusalem to be watche men, euery one to kepe his watche, and euery one to be ouer agaynst his house. As for the citye, it was large of rowme, and great, but the people were fewe therin, and the houses were not buylded. And God gaue me in my [unspec B] herte, that I gathered togyther the principal men, and the offycers, and the people, to nom¦bre them, & I found a register of the nombre of them, whiche came vp before out of the captiuite: and founde wrytten therin. These are the sonnes of the lande, that went vp frō the captiuyte of the caryenge awaye (whom Nabuchodonozer the kynge of Babilon had brought awaye) and came agayne to Ierusa¦lem and Iuda, euery one vnto his citye. They whiche came with Zorebabel are these Iesua, Nehemia, Azariah, Raamia, Naha∣mani, Mardochee, Belsam, Mesperath, Be∣guai, Nahum & Baanah. This is the nom∣bre of the men of the people of Israell. The chyldren of Pharos were two thousande, an hundred seuentye and two: The chyldren of Sephatiah, thre hundred seuentye and two: the chyldren of Arah, syxe hundred fyftie and two: the chyldren of the captayne of Moab, among the chyldren of Iesua and Ioab, two thousande, eyght hundred, and eyghtene.

The chyldren of Elam, a thousande, two [unspec C] hundred, fyftye and foure: the chyldren of Za¦thua, eyght hundred, and fyue and fourtye: the chyldren of Zachai, seuen hundred & thre score: the chyldren of Banu••, syxe hundred & eyght and fourtye: The chyldren of Bebat, syxe hundred and eyght and twentye: the chil¦dren of Asgad, two thousande, thre hundred and two and twentye: the chyldren of Adoni∣cam, syxe hundred, thre score and seuen: The chyldren of Begoai, two thousand, thre score and seuen: the chyldren of Adin, syxe hundred and fyue and fyftye: the chyldren of Aser of Hezekia nyntye and eyght. The chyldren of Hasom, thre hundred and eyght and twenty: the children of Bezai, thre hundred and foure and twentye: the chyldren of Hariph, an hun∣dred and twelue: the chyldren of Gibeon, nyn¦tye and fyue: the men of Bethleem and Ne∣thophah, an hundred, foure score and eyght: the men of Anathoth, an hundred and eyght and twentye: the men of Beth Asmaneth, two and fourtye: the men of Karioth Iarim, Ce∣phirah and Beeroth, seuen hundred and thre and fourtye: the men of Ramah and Geba▪ syxe hundred and one and twentye.

The men of Michmas, an hundred and [unspec D] two and twentye: the men of Bethel and Ai, an hundred and thre and twentye: the men of Nebo, an hundred / and two and fyftye: the chyldren of the other Elam, a thousande, two hundred and foure and fyftie: the chyldren of Harim, thre hundred and twentye: the chyldrē of Iericho, thre hūdred and fyue and fourtie: the chyldren of Lodhadid & Ono, seuen hun∣dred and one & twentye: the chyldren of Sa∣naa, thre thousand, nyne hundred and thyrty.

The Preestes. The chyldren of Iedaiah of the house of Iesua, nyne hundred, seuentye and thre: the chyldren of Immer, a thousand & two and fyftye: the chyldren of Phashur, a thousand, two hundred & seuen & fourtye: the chyldren of Harim, a thousande & seuentene.

The Leuites. The chyldren of Iesua of Cad¦miel, and of the chyldren of Hoduah, seuenty and foure. The syngers. The chyldren of A∣saph, an hundred and eyght and fourtie. The porters: The chyldren of Sallum, the chyl∣dren of Ater, the chyldren of Talmon, the chyldren of Acub: the chyldren of Hatita: the chyldren of Sobai, all togyther an hundred and eyght and thyrtye.

The Nethinims. The chyldren of Ziha, [unspec E] the chydren of Hasupha: the chyldren of Te∣bahoth: the chyldren of Ceros: the chyldren of Sia: the chyldren of Phadon: the chyldren of Lebana: the chyldren of Hagaba: the chyldrē of Salmai: the chyldren of Hanan: the chyl∣dren of Gidel: the chyldren of Gaher: the chyl¦dren of Reaia: the chyldren of Rezin: the chyl¦dren of Necoda: the chyldren of Gasam: the chyldren of Usa: the chyldren of Phaseah: the chyldren of Besai: the chyldren of Meunim: the chyldren of Nephussim, the chyldren of Bachuc: the chyldren of Hacupha: the chyldrē of Harhur: the chyldren of Bazlith: the chyl∣dren of Mehida: the chyldren of Harsa: the chyldren of Barcos: the chyldren of Sissera: the chyldren of Thamah: the chyldren of Ne¦••iah: the chyldren of Hatipha.

The Chyldren of Salomons seruaun∣tes: the chyldren of Sotai: the chyldren of Sophereth: the chyldren of Pherida: the chil¦dren of Iaala: the chyldren of Darcon: the chyldren of Giddel, the chyldren of Sapha∣tiah: the chyldren of Hatyll: the chyldren of Pochereth of Zibaini: the chyldren of Amon. Al these Nethinims, & the chyldren of Salo∣mons seruaunt{is}, were thre hundred ixxxxii.

And these wente vp also to Thel Mela, [unspec F] Thel Harsa, Cherub, Adon and Immer: but they coulde not shew theyr fathers house nor theyr seed, and that they were of Israel. The chyldren of Dalaiah: the chyldren of Tobia and the chyldren of Nocoda, syxe hundred & two and fourtye. And of the preestes: the chyl¦dren of Habaiah: the chyldren of Hacos: the chyldren of Bersilai, whiche toke one of the doughters of Bersilai the Gileadite to wyfe, & was named after theyr name. These sought theyr wrytyng in the register of theyr genera¦cion, but they were not founde, therfore they were put from the preesthode. And Hathir∣sata sayd vnto them, that they shuld not eate of the moost holy, tyll there came vp a preest / whiche shulde weare Urim and Thumim. And so the hole congregacyon togyther was two and fourtye thousande, thre hundred, & thre score: besyde theyr seruauntes and may∣des, of whom there were seuen thousand, thre hundred and seuen and thyrty. And they had two hundred and seuen and fourtie syngyng men and women.

Theyr horses seuen hūdred and syxe and [unspec G] thyrtye: and theyr Mules, two hundred and fyue and fourtie. The camels, foure hundred and fyue and thyrtye: syxe thousande, seuen hundred and twentye Asses. And certayne of the auncient fathers gaue vnto the worke. Hathirsatha gaue to the treasure a thousand peces of golde, fyftye basens, fyue hundred & thyrtye preestes garmentes. And some of the cheyfe fathers gaue vnto the treasure of the worke, xx. thousande peces of golde, and two thousande & two hundred pounde of syluer. And the other people gaue twentye thousand peces of golde, and two thousande pounde of syluer, and thre score and seuen preestes gar∣mentes. And the preestes and Leuites, the porters, and the syngers, and the other of the people / and the Nethmims, and all Israell, dwelte in theyr cityes. And the seuenth mo∣neth came, and the Chyldren of Israell were in theyr cityes.

¶ Esdras gathereth the people togyther, and redeth to them the Lawe. They kepe the feast of Tabernacles, or bothes.

CAPI. VIII.

ANd ✚ all the people gathered them [unspec A] selues togyther as one mā in the strete that was before the water gate, & they sayde vnto Esdras the scribe, that he shulde fetche the boke of the law of Moses, which the Lorde cōmaunded to Israel. And Esdras the Preest brought the lawe before the con∣gregacyon bothe of men and women, and all that coulde vnderstande dyd herken vnto it, vpon the fyrste daye of the seuenth moneth, and he red therin in the strete that was before the water gate (from the mornynge vntyll the noone daye) before men and women that dyd herken to it: and the eares of all the peo∣ple were enclyned vnto the boke of the lawe. And Esdras the scribe stode vpon an hyghe pulpyt of wood, which they had made for the preachynge, & besyde hym stode Mathathia Sema, Anania, Uriah, Helkia, and Maasia on his ryght hande: and on his lefte hande stode Pedaia, Misael, Malchia, Hasum, Ha¦sebadana, Zachary, and Mesulam.

And Esdras opened the boke before all [unspec B] the people, for he stode aboue all the people. And when he opened it, all the people stode vp. And Esdras praysed the Lorde the great God. And all the people answered: Amen, Amen, with theyr hand{is} vp, and bowed them¦selues, and worshypped the Lorde, fallynge downe vpon theyr faces to the grounde.

And Iesua, Baam, Serabiah, Iamin, Acub Sebathai, Hodaia, Maasia, Celita, Azaria, Iozabad, Hanan, Pelaia: & the Leuites cau∣sed the people to gyue hede vnto the lawe, & the people stode in theyr place. And they red in the boke of the lawe of god distynctly and playnly, so that men vnderstode the thynge that was red. And Nehemiah (whiche is Ha∣thirsatha) and Esdras the preest and scribe, & the Leuites that caused the people to take hede, sayd vnto al the people: this day is holy vnto the Lorde your God: be not ye sory, and wepe not. For al the people wepte, when they herde the wordes of the lawe.

And he sayd vnto them: go your waye, and eate the fat, and drynke the swete, & sende [unspec C] parte vnto them also that haue not prepared them selues: for this day is holy vnto the lord be not ye sory therfore: for the ioy of the lorde is your strength. ⊢ And the Leuites stylled all the people, and sayd: holde your peace, for the day is holy, vexe not ye your selues. And al the people went theyr way to eate & drynke and to sende parte vnto other, and to make great myrth, bycause they had vnderstande the wordes that was declared vnto them. And on the nexte day were gathered togyther the cheyfe fathers amonge all the people and the preestes & Leuites, vnto Esdras the scribe that they myght vnderstande the wordes of the law. And they founde wrytten in the law ( which the Lorde had cōmaunded by Mo∣ses) that the chyldren of Israell shulde dwell in bothes in the feast of the seuenth moneth: and that they shulde cause it to be declared & proclamed in all theyr cityes, and thorowout Ierusalem, sayenge.

Go forth vnto the mount & fetche Olyue [unspec D] braunches, Pyne braunches, Myrte braun∣ches, Palme braūches, & braunches of thicke trees, to make bothes, as it is wrytten.

And so the people went forth, and fet them and made them bothes, euery one vpon the rofe of his house, and in theyr courtes, and in the courtes of the house of god, & in the strete by the water gate, and in the strete by porte Ephraim. And all the congregacion of them that were come agayne out of the captiuyte, made bothes, and sat vnder the bothes: For synce the tyme of Iosua the son of Nun vnto this day, had not the chyldren of Israel done so, and there was very great gladnesse. And euery day, from the fyrst day vnto the laste, red Esdras in the boke of the lawe of God. And seuen dayes helde they the feast, and on the eyght day, the gatheryng togyther, accor∣dynge vnto the maner.

¶ The people repent, & forsake theyr straung wyues. Esdras recyteth the benefytes of god, and the synnes of the people.

CAPI. IX.

IN the foure and twentye daye of this mo∣neth [unspec A] came the chyldren of Israel togyther agayne, with fastyng and sacke clothes, and earth vpon them, and they that were of the seede of Israell were separated from all the straunge chyldren, and stode and know∣ledged theyr synnes, and the wyckednesse of theyr fathers, and stode vp in theyr place, and red in the boke of the lawe of the Lorde theyr god foure tymes on the day, and they know∣ledged, and worshypped the Lorde theyr god iiii. tymes on the day. And the Leuites stode on hygh, namely Iesua, Bani, Cadmiel Sa∣baniah, Buni, Sarebiah, Bani, & Chanani, and creyed loude vnto the Lorde theyr God. And the Leuites, Iesua and Cadmiel, Bani and Hasabnia, Serebia & Hodia, Sebania, and Phathahia, sayd: stande vp, and prayse the Lorde your God for euer: and let thankes be gyuen vnto the name of thy glorye, which excelleth all thankes gyuynge and prayse.

Thou arte Lorde alone, thou hast made [unspec B] heuen, and the heuen of all heuens, with all theyr hoost, the earth and all thyngs that are therin, the see and all that is therin: and thou preseruest them all, & the hoost of heuen wor∣shyppeth the. Thou arte the Lorde God that hast chosen Abram, and broughtest hym out of Ur in Chaldea, ‡ and calledst hym Abra∣ham, and foundest his herte faythfull before the, and madest a couenaunte with hym, to gyue vnto his seede the lande of the Canani-tes, Hethites, Amorites, Pheresites, Iebusy∣tes & Gersites, & hast made good thy wordes: for thou arte ryghteous & hast consydered the mysery of our fathers in Egypte, & herde theyr complaynte by the reed see, and shewed tokens & wonders vpon Pharao, & on al his seruauntes, & on all the people of his lande: for thou knewest, that they were presumptu∣ous & cruell agaynst them, & so madest thou the a name, as it is this day. And the reed see dydest thou deuyde in sundre before them, so that they went thorowe the myddes of the see drye shod: & theyr persecutours threwest thou in to the depe (as a stone) in the myghty wa∣ters, & ledst them on the day tyme in a cloudy pyller, and on the nyght season in a pyller of fyre, to shewe them lyght in the way that they went. Thou camest downe also vpō mount Sinay, & spakest vnto them from heuen, and [unspec C] gauest them ryght iudgementes, true lawes, good cōmaundementes and Statutes, and declaredst vnto them thy holy Sabboth, and

cōmaundedst them preceptes, ordinaunces, & lawes, by the hande of Moses thy seruaunt and gauest them breade from heuen when they were hongrye, and broughtest forthe water for them oute of the rocke when they were thyrstye: and promysedst them, that they shulde go in, and take possession of the lande ouer which thou haddest lyft vp thyne hande for to gyue them. But they and oure fathers were proude & harde necked, so that they fo∣lowed not the cōmaundementes, and wolde not obey, neyther were myndfull of the won∣ders that thou dyddest for them: but became obstynate and headye, in so moche, that they turned backe to theyr bondage for theyr dis∣obedience. And thou my god forgauest / and wast gracious, mercyfull, pacient, & of great goodnesse, and forsokest them not.

And though they made a molten calfe (& sayd: This is thy gods that brought the out [unspec D] of the lande of Egypte) and dyd great blas∣phemyes, yet forsokest thou them not in the wyldernesse / accordynge to thy great mercy.

And the cloudy pyller departed not from them on the daye tyme to leade them awaye / neyther the pyller of fyre in the nyght season to shew them lyght in the way that they went And thou gauest them thy good spirite / to en¦forme them, & withheldest not thy Manna from theyr mouth, and gauest them water when they were thyrstye. Fourtye yeres long madest thou prouision for them in the wylder nesse / so that they lacked nothyng, theyr clo¦thes waxed not olde, and theyr feete swelled not. And thou gauest them kyngdomes and nacions / & partedst them accordyng to theyr porcions / so that they possessed the lande of Sehon, kynge of Hesbon / and the lande of Og the kynge of Basan. And theyr chyldren multipliedst thou as the sterres of heuen / & broughtest them in to the lande / wherof thou haddest spoken vnto theyr fathers, that they shulde go into it / and haue it in possessyon.

And the chyldren went in / and possessed the lande, and thou subduedst before them the enhabitours of the lande, euen the Cananit{is} / and gauest them in to theyr hande, with theyr kyng{is} / and the people of the lande / that they myght do with them what they wolde. [unspec E]

And they wan theyr strong cityes / and a fat lande / and toke possessyon of houses that were full of all maner of goodes, welles dyg¦ged out, vyneyardes, oyle gardens, & many fruytfull trees: and they dyd eate, and were fylled, and became fat, and lyued in welthe thorowe thy great goodnesse. Neuerthelesse they were disobedient, and rebelled agaynste the, and cast thy lawe behynde theyr backes, & slue thy prophettes (which exhorted them ernestly, that they myght bryng them agayn vnto the) and dyd great blasphemyes. Ther∣fore, thou gauest them ouer in to the hande of theyr enemyes that vexed them. And in the tyme of theyr trouble when they cryed vnto the, thou herdest them from heuen: and tho∣rowe thy great mercy thou gauest them ☞ sa¦uiours, whiche helped them out of the hande of theyr enemyes. But when they came to rest they turned backe agayne, to do euyll before the: therfore leftest thou them in the hande of theyr enemyes, so that they had the dominion ouer them.

And when they conuerted, and cryed vnto [unspec F] the, thou herdest them from heuen, and many tymes hast thou delyuered them accordynge to thy great mercy, and testifiedst vnto them that thou myghtest bryng them agayne vnto thy law. Notwithstandyng, they were proud and herkened not vnto thy cōmaundmentes but synned in thy lawes (whiche yf a man do he shall lyue in them,) & turned the shoul∣der away, and were styffe necked, and wolde not heare. And many yeres dyddest thou for∣bere them, and testifiedst vnto them thorowe thy spirite, euen by the hande of thy prophett{is} & yet wolde they not heare. Therfore gauest thou them in to the hande of the nacions in the landes. And for thy great mercyes sake, thou hast not vtterly cōsumed them, neyther forsaken them: for thou arte a gracious and mercyfull God.

Nowe therfore our God, thou great god myghtye, and terrible, thou that kepest co∣uenaunt and mercy, regarde not a lytell all [unspec G] the trauayle that hath happened vnto vs, & our kynges, our prynces, oure preestes, oure prophettes, and our fathers, & all thy people, synce the tyme of the kynges of Assur vnto this day. And truely, thou arte iust in all that thou haste broughte vpon vs: for thou haste done ryght. As for vs we haue ben vngodly, and our kynges, and our prynces, our preest{is} and our fathers haue not done after thy law nor regarded thy cōmaundementes, and thy earnest exhortacions, wherwith thou hast ex∣horted them, and they haue not serued the in theyr kyngdome, and in thy great good{is} that thou gauest them, and in the large and plen∣teous lande whiche thou gauest before them, and haue not conuerted from theyr wycked workes: beholde, we are in bondage this day and so is the lande that thou gauest vnto our fathers, to enioy the fruytes & goodes therof beholde, there are we bonde men.

And great is the encrease of it vnto the kyn∣ges, whom thou hast set ouer vs, bycause of our synnes, & they haue dominion ouer oure bodyes and cattell (euen as they wyll them selues,) and we are in great trouble. And in al this make we a sure couenaunt, and wryte it, and oure prynces, Leuites and Preestes seale vnto it.

¶ The names of them that sealed the couenaunte bytwene god and the peope.

CAPI. X.

THe sealers were: Nehemiah (that is) Ha¦thirsatha [unspec A] the son of Hachaliah and Ze∣dekia, Saraia, Azariah, and Ieremy, Phashur, Amaria, Malchia, Hatus, Seba∣niah, Malluch, Harim, Merimoth, and Oba¦dia, Daniel, Ienthon, and Baruch, Mesulā, Abia, and Miamin, Maasia, Belgai & Se∣meia, these were preestes. The Leuites were: Iesua the son of Azania, Benui amonge the chyldren of Henadad & Cadmiel. And theyr brethren: Sechania, Hodia, Celita, Pelaia, Hanan, Micha, Rehob, and Hasabiah, Sa∣chur, Serebia, Sabania, Hodia, Bani & Be¦ninu. The heades of the peple were: Phares, the captayne of Moab, Elam, Zathu & Bani Boni, Asgad, Bebai, Adonia, Begoai, Adin, Ater, Hezekia, Asur, Hodia, Hasum, Bezai, Harip, Anathoth, & Nebai, Magphias, Me∣sulam, Hesir, Mesesabell, Zadoc, Iaddua, Phalatia, Hanan, Anaia, Hosea, Hanania, Hasub, Halohes, Phaleha, Sobek, Rehum, Hasebna, Maasia, Ahia, Hanan, and Anan, Malluch, Harim and Baana.

And the other people / the preestes / Leuit{is} / [unspec B] porters / syngers / Nethinims / & all they that had separated them selues from the people in the landes vnto the lawe of God / with theyr wyues / theyr sonnes / and theyr doughters / & as many as coulde vnderstande, & theyr lord{is} that had rule of them / receyued it for theyr brethren. And they came to swere / and to bynde them selues with an othe to walke in gods lawe, whiche was gyuen by Moses the seruaunt of God / & that they wolde obserue / and do accordynge vnto all the cōmaunde∣mentes / iudgementes & statutes of the lorde our god: And that we wolde not gyue our doughters vnto the people in the lande / ney∣ther to take theyr doughters for our sonnes.

And yf the people of the lande broughte ware on the Sabboth / & all maner of vittay∣les to sell / that we wolde not take it of them on the Sabboth & on the holy dayes. And that we wolde let the seuenth yere be fre / con∣cernyng all maner of charge.

And we decreed a statute vpon our selues [unspec C] to gyue yerely the thyrde part of a sycle to the ministracion in the house of our God / to the shewbreade / to the dayly meate offerynge / to the dayly burnt offerynge of the Sabbothes of the new moones / & feast dayes / and to the thynges that were sanctified / & to the offeryn¦ges of attonement / to reconcyle Israel with∣all / & to all the busynes in the house of oure God. And we cast the lot amonge the preest{is}, Leuites, and the people, for offerynge of the wood to be brought vnto the house of oure god from yere to yere, after the houses of our fathers that it myght be brent at tymes ap∣poynted, vpon the aulters of the Lorde god, as it is wrytten in the lawe.

And to bryng the fyrstlynges of our lande [unspec D] and the fyrstlynges of our fruytes of al trees yere by yere, vnto the house of the Lorde: and the fyrstlynges of our sonnes, & of our cattel, as it is wrytten in the lawe: & the fyrstlynges of our oxen, & of our shepe, whiche we shulde bryng to the house of our god, vnto the pre∣stes that ministre in the house of our God, & that we shulde bryng the fyrstlynges of oure dough, & of our heueoffrynges, & the fruytes of all maner of trees, of wyne also & of oyle, vnto the preestes to the chystes of the house of our god. And the tythes of our lande vnto the Leuites, that the Leuites myght haue the tythes in all the cityes of our ministracyon.

And the preest the sonne of Aaron shal with the Leuites haue also of the tythes of the Le∣uites, so that the Leuites shall bryng vp the tithes of theyr tithes vnto the house of oure God, to the store houses and to the treasure houses. For the chyldren of Israel & the chyl∣dren of Leui shall bryng vp the heueoffryng{is} of the corne, wyne & oyle vnto the store hou∣ses, there as are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the preest{is} that minystre, and the porters and syngers, that we forsake not the house of oure God.

¶ Who dwelled in Ierusalem after it was buylded, and who in the Cityes of Iuda.

CAPI. XI.

ANd the rulers of the people dwelte at [unspec A] Ierusalem. The other people also cast iottes, that among ten, one parte shuld go to Ierusalem in to the holy citye to dwel, and nyne partes to be in the cityes. And the people thanked al the mē, that were wyllyng to dwell at Ierusalem. These are the heades of the lande, that dwelte in Ierusalem and in the cityes of Iuda, euery one in his possession and in theyr cityes: they of Israel, the preest{is}, Leuites, the Nethinims, and the chyldren of Salomons seruauntes.

And at Ierusalem dwelte certayne of the chyldren of Iuda and of Ben Iamin. Of the chyldren of Iuda: Athaia the sonne of Usia, the sonne of Zachary, the sonne of Amaria, the sonne of Sephatia, the sonne of Maha∣laleel, of the chyldren of Phares. And Maa∣sia the son of Baruch, the son of Chal Hose, the sonne of Hasaia, the sonne of Adaia, the sonne of Ioiarib, the son of Zachari, the son of S••••oni. All these were the chyldren of Pha¦res that dwelte at Ierusalem: euen foure. C. thre score and eyght valyaunt mē. These are the chyldren of Beniamin: Sallu the sonne [unspec B] of Mesullam, the sonne of Ioed, the sonne of Pedaia, the sonne of Colaia, the son of Ma∣sia, the sonne of Ithiel, the sonne of Isai.

And after hym Gabai, Selai, nyne hun∣dred and eyght and twentye. And Ioel the sonne of Zichri had the ouersyght of them: & Iuda the son of Senua was nexte ouer the citye. Of the preestes: Iedaiah the sonne of Ioiarib, Iachin. Saraiah the son of Hel∣kia the sonne of Mesulam, the sonne of Za∣doc, the sonne of Meraioth, the sonne of Ahi∣••ob, was prince in the house of God: and his brethren that performed the worke in the tem¦ple. viii. C. and .xxii. And Adaia the sonne of Ieroham, the sonne of Plalal••el, the sonne of Amzi, the son of Zachari, the son of Phashur the sonne of Malchia and his brethren cheyf amonge the fathers: two hundred and two & fourtye. And Amasai the sonne of Asarel, the sonne of Ahasai, the son of Mos••lemoth, the son of Immer: & his brethren were valyaunt men an hundred and eyght and twenty. And theyr ouerseer was Zibdiel a sonne of one of the great men.

Of the Leuites: Semeia the sonne of Hasub the sonne of Aserikam, the son of Ha∣sabia [unspec C] the sonne of Būnt: and Sabathai, and Iosabad of the cheyfe of the Leuites, had the ouersyght of the outwarde busynesse of the house of god. And Mathania the son of Mi∣cha, the sonne of Zabdi, the sonne of Asaph, was the pryncipall to begyn the thankes gy∣uyng and prayer. And Bakbukia the second amonge his brethren, and Abda the sonne of Sammua, the sonne of Galal, the son of Ie∣duthun. All the Leuites in the holy citye were two hundred foure score and foure. And the porters Acub and Talmon, and theyr bre¦thren that kepte the portes, were an hundred seuentye & two. As for the resydue of Israel, the preestes & Leuites, they were in all the ci∣tyes of Iuda, euery one in his enheritaunce. And the Nethinims dwelte in Ophel, & Ziba and Gispa was set ouer the Nethinims. The ouerseer of the Leuites at Ierusalem, was Ust the son of Baani, the son of Hasabia, the son of Mathania, the son of Micha.

Of the chyldren of Asaph there were syn∣gers [unspec D] aboute the busynes in the house of god: for it was the kynges cōmaundement concer¦nynge them, that the syngers shulde deale faythfully euery day as was accordyng. And Pathaia the sonne of Mesebabel of the chyl∣dren of Zerah the son of Iuda nexte the kyng in all matters concernyng the people, & theyr villages, and landes. The sūme of the chyl∣dren of Iuda that were without in the tow∣nes of theyr lande, dwelte at Kariath Atbe, & in the villages therof: at Didon, & in the vil∣lages therof: and at Iecabzeel, and in the vil∣lages therof: at Iesua, Moladah, Bethpha∣let in the towne of Sual: Beer seba, and in theyr villages, at Sikelag & Moconah, and in theyr villages: And at Enremon, Zarah, Ierimuth, Zonoa, Odollam & in theyr vylla¦ges: At Lachis, and in the feldes therof: At Aseka, & in the villages therof: & they dwelte from Bersabe vnto the valley of Hinnom.

The chyldren also of Beniamin of Geba dwelte at Machmas, Aia, Bethel & in theyr vyllages. And at Anathoth, Nob, Anamah, Hazor, Ramah, Gethaim, Hadid, zeboim, Na¦balath, Lod, and Ono, the carpenters valley And the Leuites had possession both in Iuda and in Bentamin.

¶ The preestes and leuites whiche came with zorobatell to Ierusalem, are nombred: and the wall is dedicate.

CAPI. XII.

THese are the preestes and Leuites that [unspec A] went vp with Zorobabell the sonne of Salathiel and with Iesua: Saraia, Ie¦remy, and Esdras, Amaria, Maluch, Hatus, Sechania, Rehum, Merimoth, Iddo, Gen∣thoi, Abia, Miamin, Maaria, Belga, Se∣maia, Ioiarib, Iadaia, Salu, Amok, Helkia and Iadaia. These were the heades amonge the preestes, and theyr brethren, in the dayes of Iesua. The Leuit{is} were these: Iesua, Ben¦nui, Cadmiel, Sarabia, Iuda, and Matha∣nia, whiche was ouer the offyce of thankes gyuynge, he and his brethren: Bacbukia and Himni and theyr brethren, were aboute them in the watches. Iesua begat Ioakim, Ioa∣kim also begat Eliasib, & Eliasib begat Io∣iada. Ioiada begat Ionathan, and Ionathā begat Iadua. In the dayes of Ioakim were these the cheyfe fathers amonge the preestes: vnder Saraia, Maraia, vnder Ieremy, Ha∣nania: vnder Esdras, Mesullam: vnder A∣maria, Iehoanan: vnder Milico, Ionathan vnder Sebania, Ioseph: vnder Hatim Adna

vnder Maraioth, Helca: vnder Iddo, Zacha¦ry: vnder Genthō, Mesullam: vnder Abia, Zi¦chri: vnder Miniamin, & Moadia, Piltai: vn¦der Belga, Samua: vnder Semeia / Ieho∣nathan: vnder Ioiarib / Mathenai: vnder Ia¦daia, Usi: vnder Selai, Kelai: vnder Amok / Eber: vnder Helchia, Hasabia: vnder Iadaia Nathanaell. And in the tyme of Eliasib: Io∣iada / [unspec B] Iohanan & Iadua / were the cheyfe fa∣thers amonge the Leuites and the preestes / wrytten vnder the reygne of Darius the Per¦sian. The chyldren of Leui, the pryncipall fa∣thers were wrytten in the Cronicles / vntyll the tyme of Ionathā the son of Eliasib. And these were the cheyf among the Leuites, Ha∣sabia, Serebia & Iesua the son of Cadmiel / and theyr brethren in theyr presence, to gyue prayse & thankes / accordynge as Dauid the man of god had ordeyned it, one watch ouer agaynst another. Mathania, Balbukia, O∣badia, Mesullam, Talmon, and Abub were porters in the watch at the threshold{is} of the gates. These were in the dayes of Ioiakim the sonne of Iesua, the sonne of Iosedec, and in the dayes of Nehemia the captayne, and of the preest Esdras the scrybe. And in the de∣dycacyon of the walle at Ierusalem, they sought the Leuites out of all theyr places / that they myght be brought to Ierusalem / to kepe the dedicacyon & gladnesse, with thank{is} geuynge, & syngyng with cymbals, psaltries and harpes. And the chyldren of the syng∣ers gathered them selues togyther frō euery syde out of the playne countrey aboute Ieru∣salem, and from the vyllages of Netho pha∣thi, from the house of Gilgall, and out of the coūtreyes of Geba & Asmaueth: for the syng∣ers had buylded them vyllages roūde about Ierusalem. And the Preestes and Leuites were purified, and clensed the people, and the gates and the walle. [unspec C]

And I brought the prynces of Iuda vp vpon the walle, and appoynted two greate queers of men to gyue thankes, whiche went on the ryght hande of the wall towarde the donggate, & after them went Hosaia, & halfe of the prynces of Iuda / & Asaria / Esdras / & Mesullam, Iuda, Beniamin, Semeia and Ieremy: and certayne of the preest{is} chyldren with trompettes, namelye Zachary the sonne of Ionathan, the son of Semeia / the son of Mathania, the son of Michaia / the sonne of Zacur, the son of Asaph, & his brethren Se∣meia, Asaraell / Melalai / Gilalai / Maai / Na¦thanael, & Iuda / and Hanani with the musi∣call instrumentes of Dauid the man of God.

And Esdras the scryhe wente before them, and besyde the welgate, they went vp ouer a∣gaynst them vpon the steppes of the Citye of Dauid at the goynge vp of the wall beyonde the house of Dauid, vnto the watergate east warde. The other queer of them that gaue thank{is}, went ouer agaynst them, and I after them, & the halfe parte of the people vpon the walle, beyonde the fornace gate, vntyll the brode wall / & beyonde the porte of Ephraim, and beyonde the Oldgate, beyonde the fysh∣gate, & the towre of Hananeel, and the towre of Mea, vntyll the Shepegate.

And they stode styl in the pryson gate / and so stode the two queers (of them that gaue [unspec D] thankes) in the house of God, and I and the halfe of the rulers with me / and the preestes / namely Eliakim, Maasia, Minsamin / Mi∣chaia / Elioenai / Zachary and Hanania, with trompettes, & Maasia, Semeia, Eleasar, U•• si / Iehohanan / Melchiah / Elam and Ser. And the syngers sange loude / hauyng Iesta hiad for theyr ouerseer. And the same daye / they offered greate sacrifyces & reioysed: for god had gyuen them great gladnesse, so that both the wyues & chyldren were ioyfull & the myrth of Ierusalem was herde far of. At the same tyme were there men appoynted ouer the treasure houses (wherin were the heueof∣ferynges, the fyrstlyng{is} and the tythes) that they shuld gather them out of the feld{is} about the cityes, to destribute them vnto the preest{is} and Leuites accordyng to the lawe: for Iuda was glad of the preestes, & Leuites, that they stode & wayted vpon the offyce of theyr God, which is a pure offyce. And the syngers and porters stode after the cōmaundement of Da¦uid & of Salomon his son: for in the tyme of Dauid & Asaph, were the cheyfe syngers founded, & the songes of prayse and thankes geuyng vnto god. In the tyme of Zorobabel & Nehemia, dyd all they of Israell, gyue por∣cyons vnto the syngers, and porters, euerye day his porcyon, & they gaue tythes vnto the Leuites: and the Leuit{is} gaue tythes agayne, vnto the chyldren of Aaron.

¶ The lawe is red, and when they haue herde ii, they seperate from them all straungers.

CAPI. XIII.

ANd that daye dyd they rede in the boke [unspec A] of Moses & the peple herkened therto / and there was founde wrytten therin / that the Ammonytes & Moabites shulde neuer come in to the congregacyon of God / bycause they met not the chyldren of Israell with breade & water, but hyred Balaam a∣gaynst them, that he shulde curse them: & our God turned the curse in to a blessynge.

Nowe when they herde the lawe, it fortuned, that they separated from Israell, euery one that had myxte hym selfe therin. And before this, had the preest Eliasib the ouersyght of the treasury of the house of our god, & he was kynsman vnto Tobia: and had made hym a greate chambre, & there had they before tyme layed the offerynges, frankensence, vessell / and the tythes of corne, and wyne and oyle (accordynge to the cōmaundement gyuen to the Leuites, syngers & porters) and the heue offeryng{is} of the preestes. But in al this tyme was not I at Ierusalem: for in the xxxii. yere of Arthaxerses kyng of Babilon, came I vn¦to the kynge, & after certayn dayes opteyned I licence of the kynge to come to Ierusalem.

And I gatte knowledge of the euyll that Eliasib dyd vnto Tobia, in that he had made [unspec B] hym a chambre in the courte of the house of god, and it greued me sore, & I cast forth all the vessels of the house of Tobia out of the chambre, and cōmaunded them to clense the chambers. And thyther brought I agayne the vessels of the house of god, with the meat offerynge, & the insence. And I perceyued / that the porcyons of the Leuites were not gyuen them, & that euery one ••••ed to his land, euen the Leuites: and syngers that executed the worke. Then reproued I the rulers, and sayd? why is the house of god forsaken? And I gathered them togyther, & set them in theyr place. Then brought all Iuda the tythes of corne, and wyne and oyle vnto the treasure.

And I made treasurers ouer the treasure / euen Selemiah the preest, & Zadoc the scrybe / and of the Leuites, Phadaia, & vnder theyr hande was Hanan the son of Zacur the son of Mathanta: for they were coūted faythful, and theyr offyce was to dystrybute the porcy∣ons vnto theyr brethren. Thynke vpon me O my god herein, & wype not out my mercy that I haue shewed on the house of my god, and on the offyces therof. At the same tyme sawe I some treadynge wyne presses on the Sabboth, & bryngyng in sheaues, and asses laden with wyne, grapes, fygges and bryng∣ynge al maner of burthens vnto Ierusalem, vpon the Sabboth daye.

And I rebuked them earnestly the same daye that they solde the vyttayles. There [unspec C] dwelt men of Tire also therin, which brought fyshe & all maner of ware, & solde on the Sab∣both vnto the Chyldren of Iuda in Ierusa∣lem. Then reproued I the rulers in Iuda, & sayde vnto them: what euyll thynge is this that ye do, & breake the Sabboth daye? Dyd not your fathers euen thus, and oure God brought all this plage vpon vs & vpon this citye? And ye make the wrath more yet vpon Israell, in that ye breake the Sabboth. And it fortuned, that when the porters of Ierusa∣lem began to be darke in the euenynge be∣fore the Sabboth, I cōmaunded to shut the gates, and charged / that they shulde not be opened tyll after the Sabboth: & some of my seruaūtes set I at the gates / that there shuld no burthen be brought in on the Sabboth day. Then remayned the chapmen and mer∣chauntes once or twyce ouer nyght without Ierusalem with all maner of wares. Then reproued I them sore, & sayd vnto them: why tary ye all nyght aboute the wall? Yf ye do it once agayne, I wyll laye handes vpon you. From that tyme forth came they no more on the Sabboth. And I sayde vnto the Leuites that they shulde clense them selues, and that they shulde come / and kepe the gates / to ha∣lowe the Sabboth daye. Thynke vpon me (O my god) concernyng this also / and spare me / accordynge to thy great mercy.

And at the same tyme sawe I Iues / that maryed wyues of Asdod, of Ammon and of [unspec D] Moab / and theyr chyldren spake halfe in the spech of Asdod / and coulde not speake in the Iues language / but by the tongue myght a man perceyue euery people. Then I repro∣ued them / & cursed them / and smote certayne men of them, & made them bare / and toke an othe of them by god: Ye shall not gyue youre doughters vnto theyr sonnes / neyther shall ye take theyr doughters vnto your sonn{is} / or for your selues. Dyd not Salomon the kyng of Israell syn for soch? and yet among many heathen was there no kyng lyke hym / which was deare vnto his god / and god made hym kynge ouer all Israell / & yet neuertheles out landysh women caused hym to syn? Shal we then obeye vnto you, to do al this great euyl, and to transgresse agaynst our god, & marry straunge wyues? And one of the chyldren of Iehoiada the son of Eliasib the hygh preest / had made a contracte with Sanabalat the Horonite: but I chaced hym from me. (O my god) thynke thou vpon them that defyle the preesthode, & the couenaunt of the preesthode and of the Leuites. Thus clensed I them from al soch as were outlandysh, & appoyn∣ted the courses of the preest{is} & Leuites, euery one in his offyce / & to offer the wod at tymes appoynted, & the fyrst fruytes. Thynke thou vpon me (O my god) for the best.

AMEN.

¶ The ende of the seconde boke of Esdras / otherwyse called the boke of Nehemia.

The boke of Esther

¶ Kynge Abasu••rns maketh a royall feasts, whereunto the quene Uasthi wyll not come, for which cause ••he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deuorsed.

CAPI. Primo.

IT fortuned in the dayes of [unspec A] Ahasuerus which reygned from Iudia vnto Ethiophia (ouer an hundreth and seuen and twentie landes) euen in those dayes when the kynge Ahasuerus sat on his seate royal / which was in Susan the cheyfe citye / in the thyrde yere of his reygne / he made a feaste vnto all his prynces and seruauntes. And the myghtye men of Persia & Media, the captaynes also and rulers of his countryes were before hym and he shewed the rychesse, and glorye of his kyngdome, and the gloryous worshyp of his greatnesse, many dayes longe, euen an hun∣dreth and foure score dayes.

And when these dayes were expyred / the [unspec B] kynge made a feast vnto all the people, that were in Susan the cheyfe Citye, bothe vnto great & small, seuen dayes longe in the court of the garden by the kynges place: where there hanged whyte, grene, & yelow clothes / fastened with cordes of fyne sylke, & purple in spluer rynges, vpon pyllers of Marble stone. The benches also were of gold & syluer made vpon a pauement of grene, whyte, ye∣lowe, and blacke Marble. And they dranke in vessels of golde, & chaunged vessell after vessell. And the kyng{is} wyne was moch, accor¦dynge to the power of the kynge. And the drynke was so appoynted that noone shulde compell any man, for so the kynge had com∣maunded by the offycers of his house, that euery one shulde do as it lyked hym. And the quene Uasthi made a feast also, for the wo∣men in the palace of Ahasuerus. And on the seuenth daye when the kyng was mery after the wyne, he cōmaunded Mehuman / Biztha Harbona / Bigtha / Abagthan / Zethar & Car chas, the seuen chamberlaynes (that dyd ser∣uice in the presence of kynge Ahasuerus) to fetch the quene Uasthi with the crowne regal into the kynges presence that he might shew the people and prynces her fayrnesse, for she was beautyfull.

But the quene Uasthi wolde not come at [unspec C] the kynges worde by his chamberlaynes. Then was the kynge very wroth, and his in∣dygnacyon kyndled in hym. And the kynge spake to the wyse men, that had vnderstan∣dynge in the ordynaunces of the lande / for the kynges matters must be handled before all soch as haue knowledge of the lawe and iudgement: and the ❀ (cheyfe and) nexte vnto hym were / Carsena / Sethar / Admata, That sis / Mares / Marsena, & Mamucan, the. vit prynces of Persia, and Media, whiche sawe the kynges face, & sat aboue in the kyngdom. What lawe (sayeth the kyng) shulde be exe∣cuted vpō the quene Uasthi / bycause she dyd not accordyng to the worde of the kyng Aha∣suerus, which he cōmaunded by his chamber laynes? And Memucan answered before the kynge & the prynces: the quene Uasthi hath not only done euyll agaynst the kynge / but also agaynst all the prynces & agaynst all the peple that are in all the landes of kyng Aha∣suerus: for this dede of the quene shall come [unspec D] abrode vnto all women, so that they shall despyse theyr husbandes before theyr eyes, & shall saye: the kynge Ahasuerus cōmaunded Uasthi the quene to be brought in before him but she wolde not come. And so shall the prin¦cesses in Persia, & Media say lykewyse vnto all the kynges prynces, when they heare of this dede of the quene, thus shall there aryse to moch despytefulnesse & wrath. Yf it please the kynge therfore, let there go a cōmaunde∣ment from hym, & let it be wrytten accordyng to the lawes of the Persians & Medians (& not to be transgressed) that Uasthi come no more before kyng Ahasuerus, & let the kyng gyue her kyngdom vnto another, that is bet∣ter then she. And when this cōmaūdement of the kynge (which shall be made) is publys∣shed thorowout all his empyre (whiche is great) all women shall holde theyr husband{is} in honour both amonge great and small.

This pleased the kynge & the prynces: and the kyng dyd accordyng to the worde of Me∣mucan. For he sent letters forth in to all the kynges landes, into euery lande, accordynge to the wrytynge therof, and to euery people after theyr language, that euery man shulde be lorde in his owne house. And this caused he to be spoken after the language of his people.

¶ After the Quene is put away, certayne goodly pon•••• dau••▪ sel•• are searched out. Edissa (otherwyse called s••••••er) plea∣seth the kynge, and is made quene. Metdocheus openeth vn∣to the kynge / those that wolde betray hym.

CAPI. II.

AFter these actes, when the dyspleasure [unspec A] of kynge Ahasuerus was nowe layde, he thought vpon Uasthi, and what she had done, and what was concluded agaynst her. Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that minystred vnto hym: Let there be fayre yong virgyns sought for the kynge: and the kyng

appoynted certayne men in all the landes of his Empyre / whome he charged that they shulde brynge togyther all the fayre yonge virgyns vnto Susan the heade Citye, to the womens buyldyng, vnder the hand of Hagei the kynges chamberlayne, that kepte the wo¦men, to gyue them theyr apparel ❀ (and other thynges necessarye to be had.) And that the damsell whiche pleased the kynge shulde be quene in Uasthis steade. And this pleased the kynge, and he dyd so.

In the citye of Susan there was a Iue, whose name was Mardocheus, the sonne of Iaer, the son of Semei the son Cis, a man of Iemini, which was caryed away from Ieru∣salē, when Iekonia the kyng of Iuda was led away, (whom Nabuchodonozer the kyng of Babilon caryed thence) and he norysshed Hadassa (that is Esther) his vncles dough∣ter: for she had neyther father nor mother, & she was a fayre and beutyful damsel: whom Matdocheus (when her father and mother was deade) receyued for his owne doughter.

So it fortuned that when the kynges cō∣maūdement [unspec B] and cōmyssyon was publyshed, and many damsels were brought togyther in the citye of Susan vnder the hand of Ha∣gei, Esther was brought also vnto the kyng{is} house vnder the hande of Hagei the keper of the women, and the damsel pleased hym, and she founde fauour in his syght. And he cau∣sed ornamētes to be gyuen her & soch thyng{is} as belonged to her, and appoynted her seuen comly damsels out of the kynges house, and fauoured bothe her and her gentyll women syngularly in the house of the women. But Esther shewed not her peple and her kynted: for Mardocheus had charged her, that she shulde not tell it. And Mardocheus walked euery daye before the courte of the womens house, that he myght know how Esther dyd, and what shulde become of her. And when the appoynted tyme of euery damsell came / that she shulde go in to the kyng Ahasuerus, after that she had ben twelue monethes in the deckynge of the women (for theyr dec∣kynge must haue so moch tyme) namely syxe monethes with Balme and Myrre, and syxe monethes with good spyces (so were the wo∣men beautifyed) then went there one damsell vnto the kyng, and whatsoeuer she requyred ❀ (so that it vvere comely) that must be gy∣uen her to go with her out of the womens buyldynge vnto the kynges palace.

In the euenyng she went, and on the mo∣rowe [unspec C] agayne in to the seconde house of the women abydyng vnder the hand of Saasgas the kynges chamberlayne, whiche kepte the concubynes. And she came in vnto the kyng no more excepte it pleased the kynge to haue her, and that he called her by name.

Nowe when the tyme came of Esther the doughter of Abihan the vncle of Mardo∣cheus (whiche had receyued her as his owne doughter) that she shuld come into the kyng, she desyred nothynge, but what Hagei the kynges chamberlayne the keper of the wo∣men sayde. And Esther founde fauoure in the syght of all them that loked vpon her. And Esther was taken vnto kynge Ahasu∣erus into his house royall / in the tenth mo∣neth whiche is the moneth Tebeth, in the seuenth yere of his reygne. And the kyng lo∣ued Esther aboue all the women, & she found grace and fauour in his syght before all the virgins: so that he set the crowne of the kyng¦dome vpon her heade, and made her quene in steade of Uasthi.

And the kynge made a greate feast vnto [unspec D] all his prynces and seruauntes (which feast was bycause of Esther) and caused the land{is} to be in quyetnesse, and gaue gyftes, as be∣came the ryoaltye of a kynge. And when the virgyns were gathered togyther the seconde tyme, Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate. And as yet had not Esther shewed her kyn∣red and her people, accordynge as Mardo∣cheus had bydden her: for Esther dyd after the word of Mardocheus, lyke as yf she had ben yet vnder his gouernaunce. At the same tyme, whyle Mardocheus sat in the kynges gate, two of the kyng{is} chamberlaynes Byg∣than and Theres which kepte the dore, were wroth, and sought to laye theyr handes on the kynge Ahasuerus: wherof also Mardo∣cheus gat knowledge, & tolde it vnto quene Esther, and Esther certifyed the kynge ther∣of in Mardocheus name. And when inquisi∣cion was made, it was founde so. And they were bothe hanged on tree: and it was wryt∣ten in the Cronicles before the kynge.

¶ Haman the Maridonian, after he was eralted, obteyned of the kynge that all the Iues shulde be put to death, bycause Mardocheus had not done hym worshyp, as other had.

CAPI. III.

AFter these actes dyd the kynge Ahasu∣erus [unspec A] promote Haman the son of Ama∣datha the Agagite, and set hym hygh / and set his seate aboue all the Prynces that he had with hym. And all the kynges seruaū¦tes that were in the kyng{is} gate, bowed theyr knees, and worshypped Haman: for the kyng had so commaunded concernynge hym. But Mardocheus bowed not the knee, and wor∣shypped

hym not. Then the kyng{is} seruaūtes whiche were in the kynges gate, sayde vnto Mardocheus: why transgressest thou the kynges commaundement? And when they spake thus dayly vnto hym, he folowed them not, and they tolde Haman, that they myght se howe Mardocheus matters wold endure: for he had tolde them, that he was a Iue.

And when Haman sawe that Mardocheus [unspec B] bowed not the knee vnto hym, nor worshyp∣ped hym, he was full of indygnacyon, and thought it to lyttell to laye handes onelye on Mardocyeus: for they had shewed him the na¦cyon of Mardocheus, wherfore he sought to destroy all the Iues, that were thorowout the hole empyre of Ahasuerus, and that were of the nacyon of Mardocheus. In the fyrst mo¦neth (that is the moneth Nisan) in the twelfe yere of kyng Ahasuerus they cast Phur (that is a lot) before Haman from daye to day, and from moneth to moneth, to the twelueth mo∣neth that is the moneth Adar.

And Haman sayd vnto kyng Ahasuerus: [unspec C] There is here a people scattered abrode, and dyspersed amonge all peple in all the landes of thyne empyre, and they haue theyr lawes / contrary from all peple, and do not after the kynges lawes, neyther is it the kyng{is} profet to suffre them after this maner. If it please the kynge, let it be wrytten, that they may be destroyed, and so wyl I weye downe ten thou¦sand talentes of syluer, by the handes of the workemen / to be brought in to the kynges treasure. And the kynge toke his rynge from his hande, and gaue it vnto Haman the son of Amidatha the Agagite, the Iues enemye. And the kynge sayde vnto Haman: Let the syluer be gyuen the, and do with that people as it pleaseth the.

Then were the kynges scrybes called on [unspec D] the. xiii. daye of the fyrst moneth ( ❀ Nisan) and there was wrytten (accordynge as Ha∣man cōmaunded) vnto all the kynges offy∣cers and to the captaynes that were in al the landes, and to the rulers of euery people in the countryes on euery syde, accordynge to the wrytyng of euery nacyon, and after theyr language, in the name of kynge Ahasuerus was it wrytten, and sealed with the kynges rynge. And the wrytyng{is} were sent by nostes in to al the kynges landes, to rote out, ••••kyl and to destroye all Iues, bothe yonge & 〈◊〉〈◊〉, chyldren and women in one day (namely ••••ō the thyrtenth daye of the twelueth moneth / whiche is the moneth Adar) and to spoyle theyr goodes. This was the summe of the wrytynge / that there shulde be a cōmaunde∣ment gyuen in all landes, & publyshed vnto all people, that they shulde be redy agaynst the same daye. And the postes went in all the hast, accordynge to the kynges commaunde∣ment. And in Susan the cheyfe citye was the cōmaundement deuysed. And the kyng and Haman sat and dranke: when in the meane tyme the citye of Susan was disquieted.

¶ Mardocheus gyueth the quene knowledge of the cruell decre•• of the kynge agaynst the Iues.

CAPI. IIII.

WHen Mardocheus perceyued all that [unspec A] was done, he rent his clothes and put on sackecloth, with asshes / and went out in to the myddes of the Citye, and cryed loude and lamentably, and came before the kynges gate: but he myght not enter w^tin the kyng{is} gate, bycause he had sacke cloth on. And in al landes, countryes, and places, as farre as the kynges worde and cōmaūdement extended / there was greate lamentacyon amonge the Iues, fastynge, wepynge, and mournynge / and many laye in sack clothes and in asshes. So Esthers damsels and her chamberlaynes came and tolde it her. Then was the quene excedynly astonyed. And she sent rayment / that Mardocheus shuld put on, and laye the sack cloth from hym.

But Mardocheus wolde not take them. [unspec B] Then called Esther Hathath one of the kyn∣ges chamberlaynes (whiche stode before her) and gaue him a cōmaundement vnto Mar∣docheus / that he myght know what it were / wherfore he dyd so. So Hathath went forth to Mardocheus vnto the strete of the Citye / whiche was before the kynges gate. And Mardocheus tolde hym of all that had happened vnto hym, and of the summe of syl¦uer that Haman had promised to they down•• in to the kyng{is} treasury, bycause of the Iues yf he wolde destroye them (and he gaue hym the copye of the kynges cōmaundement, that was deuysed at Susan / to destroye them / that he myght shewe it vnto Esther, and to speake to her, and charge her / that she shulde go in to the kynge, and make her prayer and supplycacyon vnto hym for her people.

And when Hathath came in, he tolde Esther [unspec C] the wordes of Mardocheus. And agayne, Esther spake vnto Hathath, and cōmaunded hym to saye to Mardocheus: all the kynges seruauntes, and the people in the landes of the kyng, know that whosoeuer cōmeth with in the courte vnto the kynge, whyther it be man or woman, whiche is not called, the com¦maundement is, that the same shall dye, ex∣cepte the kynge holde out the golden scepter

vnto hym ❀ (in token of graciousnes) for then he shall lyue. As for me, I haue not ben cal∣led to come into the kynge nowe this thyrtye dayes. And they certifyed Mardocheus of Esthers wordes, and Mardocheus bad saye agayn vnto Esther, thynke not to saue thyne [unspec D] owne lyfe, whyle thou art in the kyng{is} house before all Iues: for yf thou holdest thy peace at this tyme, then shall the Iues haue helpe and delyueraunce out of another place, and thou and thy fathers house shalbe destroyed.

And who knoweth whyther thou art come to the kyngdom, for this causes sake? Esther bad them gyue Mardocheus this answere: Go thou thy waye, and gyther togyther all the Iues that are founde at Susan, and fast ye for me, that ye eate not and drynke not in thre dayes, neyther day nor nyght. I and my damsels wyll fast lykewyse, and so wyll I go in to the kynge, which thynge yet, is contra∣rye to the cōmaundement: and yf I peryshe / I peryshe. So Mardocheus went his way / and dyd all that Esther had cōmaūded hym.

¶ Esther entreth in to the kynge, and byddeth hym and Haman to the feast. Haman prepareth a galous for Mardocheus.

CAPI. V.

ANd on the thyrde daye it fortuned, that [unspec A] Esther put on her royall apparell, and stode in the courte of the kynges palace within, ouer agaynst the kynges house. And the kynge sat vpon his royal seat in the kyn{is} palace ouer agaynst the gate of the house. And when the kynge sawe Esther the quene standynge in the courte, she founde grace in his syght. And the kyng helde out the golden scepter that was in his hand toward Esther. So Esther stepte forth, and touched the top of the scepter.

Then sayde the kynge vnto her: What [unspec B] wylte thou quene Esther? and what requirest thou? aske euen the halfe of the empyre, and it shall be gyuen the. And Esther answered. Yf it please the kynge, let the kynge and Ha∣man come this daye vnto the banket, that I haue prepared for hym. And the kyng sayd: cause Haman to make hast, that he maye do as Esther hath sayd. So the kynge & Hamā came to the banket that Esther had prepa∣red, and the kynge sayde vnto Esther at the banket of wyne: what is thy peticyon? that it may be gyuen the. And what requirest thou? Yf it be euen the halfe of the empyre, it shall be done.

Then answered Esther, and sayde: my pe∣ticyon [unspec C] and desyre is, yf I haue founde grace in the syght of the kynge, and yf it please the kynge, to gyue me my peticyon, and to fulfyl my request, then let the kynge and Haman come to the banket that I shall prepare for them, & so wyll I do tomorowe, as the kyng hath sayde. Then went Haman forth the same daye ioyfull and merye in his mynde.

And when the same Haman sawe Mardo∣cheus in the kynges gate, that he stode not vp and kneled before hym, he was full of in dygnacyon at Mardocheus. Neuerthelesse / Haman refrayned hym selfe: and when he came home, he sent, & called for his frendes / and Zares his wyfe: and Haman tolde them of the glory of his ryches, and the multytude of his Chyldren, and all togyther howe the kynge had promoted hym so greatly, & howe that he had set hym aboue the Prynces and seruauntes of the kynge.

Haman sayde moreouer: Yea and Esther [unspec D] the quene dyd let no man come in with the kynge vnto the banket, that she had prepa∣red, excepte me / and tomorowe am I bydden vnto her also with the kynge. But in all this am I not satysfyed, as longe as I se Mar∣docheus the Iue syttyng at the kynges gate. Then sayde Zares his wyfe and all his fren¦des vnto hym: Let them make a galous of fyftye cubytes hygh, and tomorowe speake thou vnto the kyng, that Mardocheus may be hanged theron, & go thou in meryly with the kyng vnto the banket. And Haman was well content withall / and caused the galous to be made.

¶ The kynge turneth ouer the Cronicles, and fyndeth the fidelite of Mardocheus: and then to the confusion of Ha∣man, cōmaundeth Mardocheus to be had in honoure.

CAPI. VI.

THe same nyght coulde not the Kynge [unspec A] slepe, and he cōmaunded to brynge the cronicles and storyes: which when they were red before the kynge, they happened on the place where it was wrytten, howe Mar¦docheus had tolde that Bigthana, & Theres the kynges two chamberlaynes (which kept the thressholdes) sought, to laye handes on kynge Ahasuerus. And the kyng sayd: what worshyppe and good haue we done to Mar∣docheus therfore? Then sayde the kynges seruauntes that minystred vnto hym: There is nothyng at all done for him. And the kyng sayde: Who is in the courte? (For Haman was gone in to the courte without before the kynges house, that he myght speake vnto the kynge to hange Mardocheus on the tre, that he had prepared for hym.)

And the kynges seruauntes sayde vnto [unspec B] hym: behold, Haman standeth without in the

courte. And the kynge sayd: let hym come in. And when Haman came in, the kynge sayde vnto hym: what shall be done vnto the man / whome the kynge wolde fayne brynge vnto worshyp? Haman thought in his hert: whom desyreth the kynge to brynge vnto worshyp, more then me? And Haman answered the kynge. Let the man whome the kynge plea∣seth to brynge vnto worshyppe, be brought hyther, that he may be arayed with the royal garmentes which the kynge vseth to weare: and the horse that the kyng rydeth vpon, and that the crowne royall maye be set vpon his heade. And let this rayment and horse be de∣lyuered [unspec C] vnder the hande of one of the gyng{is} prynces, that they maye aray the man withal (whome the kynge is disposed to brynge to honoure) and cary hym vpon the horse tho∣rowe the strete of the citye, and proclame be∣fore hym: thus shall it be done to the man / whome the kynge pleaseth to brynge to ho∣noure. And the kynge sayde: make hast, and take as thou hast sayde, the rayment and the horse: and do euen so vnto Mardocheus the Iue, that sytteth before the kynges gate, and let nothynge fayle of all that thou haste spo∣ken. Then toke Haman the rayment and the horse, and arayed Mordocheus, and brought hym on horsebacke thorowe the strete of the citye, and proclamed before hym: Euen thus shal it be done vnto the man whom the kyng is dysposed to honour.

And Mardocheus came agayne to the kyn¦ges [unspec D] gate, but Haman gat him home in al the hast mournynge bare headed, and tolde Za∣res his wyfe and al his frendes, euery thyng that had happened hym. Then sayd his wyse men and Zares his wyfe vnto hym: Yf it be Mardocheus, of the sede of the Iues, before whom thou hast begon to fall, thou shalt not preuayle agaynst hym, but shalte surely fall before him. And whyle they were yet talkyng with hym, came the kynges chamberlaynes, and caused Haman to make hast, to come vn to the banket that Esther had prepared.

¶ The quene bydde•••• the kynge and Haman agayne: and prayeth for her selfe, and for her people. She accuseth Ha∣man, and he is hanged on the galous, whiche he had pre∣pared for Mardocheus.

CAPI. VII.

ANd the kynge and Haman came in to [unspec A] the banket that quene Esther had pre∣pared, and the kynge sayd vnto Esther on the seconde daye, at the banket of wyne: what is thy peticyon (quene Esther) that it may be gyuen the? And what requirest thou? yea, aske euen halfe of the empyre, and it shal be done. And Esther the quene answered, and sayde: If I haue founde grace in thy syght (O kynge) and yf it please the kynge, then graunt me my lyfe at my desyre, and my peo∣ple, for my peticyons sake: for we are solde, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be sleyne, and to peryshe.

And wolde God we were solde to be bond¦men [unspec B] and bondwomen, then wolde I holde my tongue: For the enemye pondreth not the kynges harme. The kynge Ahasuerus ans∣wered, and sayde vnto quene Esther: who is he? And where is he, that dare presume in his mynde, to do after that maner? And Esther sayde: the enemye and aduersary is this wyc∣ked Hamā, Haman, was excedyngly afrayed before the kynge and the quene.

And the kynge arose from the banket and [unspec C] from the wyne in his displeasure, and wente in to the palace garden. And Hamā stode vp, and besought quene Esther for his lyfe: for he saw, that there was a myscheyfe prepared for hym of the kynge alredy. And when the kyng came agayne out of the palace garden in to the place where they dranke wyne, Hamā had layde hym vpō the bed, that Esther sat vpon

Then sayde the kynge: wyll he force the [unspec D] quene also before me in the house? As soone as that worde went out of the kynges mouth ☞ they couered Hamans face. And Harbo∣na one of the chamberlaynes that stode be∣fore the kynge, sayd. Beholde, there standeth a galous in Hamans house fyftye cubytes hygh, whiche he had made for Mardocheus, that spake good for the kynge. The kynge sayde: hange hym theron. So they hanged Haman on the galous / that he had made for Mardocheus. Then was the kynges wrath pacifyed.

¶ After the death of Haman is Mardocheus exalted, and then is there comfortable wordes sent vnto the Iues.

CAPI. VIII.

THe same daye dyd Kynge Ahasuerus [unspec A] gyue the house of Haman, the Iues enemye, vnto quene Esther. And Mar∣docheus came before the kynge: For Esther tolde, howe that he belonged vnto her, And the kynge put of his fynger rynge, which he had taken from Haman, and gaue it vnto Mardocheus. And Esther set Mardocheus ouer the house of Haman. And Esther spake yet more before the kynge: and fell downe at his fete wepynge, and besought hym, that he wolde put awaye the wyckednesse of Haman the Agagite, and his deuyce that he had yma¦gyned agaynst the Iues.

And the kyng ❀ (accordyng to the maner,) [unspec B] helde out the golden scepter towarde Esther.

❀ (vvherby vvas declared a token of gracious∣nesse.) Then rose Esther, and stode before the kynge, and sayde: yf it please the kynge, and yf I haue founde grace in his syght, and yf it be acceptable before the kynge, then let it be wrytten, that the letters of the deuyce of Haman the Sonne of Hamadatha the Aga∣gite, may be called agayne: whiche letters he wrote, to destroye the Iues, whiche are in all the kynges landes. For howe can I suffer and se the euyll, that shall happen vnto my people? Or how can I loke vpon the destruc∣cyon of my kynred?

And the kyng Ahasuerus sayd vnto quene [unspec C] Esther, & to Mardocheus the Iue: Behold / I haue gyuen Esther the house of Haman / whome they haue hanged vpon a tree, by∣cause he layde hande vpon the Iues. Wryte ye also for the Iues, as it lyketh you in the kynges name, and seale it with the kynges rynge (for the wrytynges that were wrytten in the kyng{is} name, and sealed with the kyn∣ges rynge, durst no man dysanull.) Then were the kynges Scrybes called at the same tyme, euen in the thyrde moneth, that is the moneth Siuan, on the thre and twentyeth daye. And it was wrytten (accordynge to all as Mardocheus cōmaūded) vnto the Iues, and to the prynces, to the Debityes and cap∣taynes in the landes whiche are from India vntyll Ethiopia, namely an hundred and se∣uen and twentye landes / vnto euery one ac∣cordynge to the wrytynge therof, and vnto euery people after theyr speche, & to the Iues accordynge to theyr wrytyng and language. And he wrote in the kynge Ahasuerus name, and sealed it with the kynges rynge. And by postes that roode vpon horses, and swyfte yonge Mules, sent he the wrytynges, wher∣in the kynge graunted the Iues (in what ci∣tyes soeuer they were) to gather them selues togyther, and to stande for theyr lyfe, and for to rote out, to sley, & to destroye all the power of the people, and lande that wolde trouble them, with chyldren and women, & to spoyle theyr good vpon one daye in all the landes of kynge Ahasuerus, namely vpon the thyr∣tenth daye of the twelueth moneth, whiche is the moneth Adar.

The sūme of the wrytyng was, how there [unspec D] shulde be a cōmaundement gyuen in all lan¦des and publysshed amonge all people, and that the Iues shulde be redye agaynst that day, and to auenge themselues on theyr ene∣myes. And so the postes that rode vpon the swyfte horses and Mules, made hast with all spede, to execute the kynges worde: and the cōmaundement was deuysed in Susan the cheyfe Citye. And Mardocheus went out ❀ (from the palace, and) from the kyng in royal apparell of yelowe and whyte, and with a great crowne of golde, beynge arayed with a garment of sylke and purple, and the citye of Susan reioysed, and was gladde: and vnto the Iues there was come ❀ (a nevv) lyght and gladnesse, ioye and worshyp. In all lan∣des and cityes, in to what places soeuer the kynges worde and cōmaundement reached, there was ioye and myrth, prosperyte & good dayes amonge the Iues: in so moche, that many of the people in the land became of the Iues bylefe / and the feare of the Iues came vpon them.

¶ At the cōmaundement of the kynge the Iues put theyr ad∣uersaryes to death. The sonnes of Haman are hanged. The Iues kepe a feast daye in the remembraunce of theyr delyue∣raunce.

CAPI. IX.

IN the twelueth moneth, that is the mo∣neth [unspec A] Adar / vpon the thyrtenth daye of the same, when the kynges worde and cōmaū¦demente shulde be done, euen vpon the same daye that the enemyes shuld haue destroyed the Iues to haue oppressed them, it turned contrary wyse / euen that the Iues shuld sub due theyr enemyes. For then gathered the Iues togyther in theyr cityes within all the landes of kynge Ahasuerus, to laye hande on soche as wolde do them euyll, and no man coulde withstande them: for the feare of them was come ouer all people. And all the rulers in the landes, and prynces & Debityes / and offycers of the Kynge, promoted the Iues: for the feare of Mardocheus came vpō them For Mardocheus was greate in the kynges house, and the reporte of hym was noysed in all landes, howe he increased and grewe.

Thus the Iues smote all theyr enemyes [unspec B] with a sore slaughter, and slue & destroyed / and dyd after theyr wyll vnto soche as were theyr aduersaryes. And at Susan the cheyfe citye slue the Iues, and destroyed fyue hun∣dreth men: and slue Pharsandatha, Dalphō Asphatha / Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Phar¦mastha / Arisai / Aridai, and Uaizatha, the ten sonnes of Haman the sonne of Hamadatha the enemye of the Iues: but on his goodes they layde no handes. At the same tyme was the kynge certyfyed of the nombre of those that were sleyne in the citye of Susan.

And the kynge sayde vnto quene Esther: The Iues haue sleyne & destroyed fyue hun∣dreth men in the citye of Susan, & the ten son∣nes, of Haman: What haue they done thyn∣kest thou in the other landes of the kynge?

And what is thy peticion, that it maye be [unspec C] gyuen the? or what requyrest thou more to be done? Esther answered. If it please the kyng, let hym suffer the Iues to morowe also to do accordyng vnto this dayes cōmaundement, that they maye hange Hamans ten sonnes vpon the tre. And the kyng charged to do so, and the cōmaundement was deuysed at Su¦san, and they hanged Hamans ten sonnes. For the Iues that were in Susan gathered them selues togither, vpon the fourtenth day of the moneth Adar, & slue thre hundred men at Susan, but on theyr goodes they layde no handes. As for the other Iues that were in the kynges landes, they came togyther, and stode for theyr lyues, that they myght haue rest from theyr enemyes: and slue of theyr ene¦myes fyue and seuentye thousande, howbeit, they layde no hande on theyr goodes.

This they dyd on the thyrtenth day of the [unspec D] moneth Adar, and on the fourtenth daye of the same moneth rested they, whiche day they helde with feastynge and gladnesse. But the Iues that were at Susan, came togyther both on the thyrtenth day & on the fourtenth, & on the fyftenth day of the same they rested, and helde the daye with feastynge and glad∣nesse. And therfore the Iues that dwelte in the villages and vnwalled townes, helde the fourtenth day of the moneth Adar, with glad¦nesse and feastynge, and kepte holy day, and euery one sent gyftes vnto an other.

And Mardocheus wrote these actes, and sent the wrytynges vnto all the Iues that were in all the landes of kynge Ahasuerus, both nygh and farre that they shulde make a lawe among themselues and holde the four∣tenth or fyftenth day of the moneth Adar, as the dayes wherin the Iues came to rest from theyr enemyes, & as a moneth wherin theyr payne was turned to ioye, and theyr sorowe into a holy day, and that in those dayes they shulde make feastes and gladnesse, and one to sende gyftes vnto an other, and to distri∣bute vnto the poore.

And the Iues were contente with it that [unspec E] they had begon to do, and that Mardocheus wrote vnto them: how that Haman the sonne of Hamadatha all the Iues enemye; had de∣uysed agaynst the Iues, howe he myght de∣stroy them, and caused to cast Phur (that is a lot) for to put them in feare, and to brynge them to nought: and howe Esther went, and spake to the kynge, that thorowe letters his wycked deuyce (which he ymagined agaynst the Iues) myght be turned vpon his owne heade, and howe he and his sonnes were han¦ged on the tree. For the whiche cause they cal¦led this day Phurim, bycause of the name of the lot, and bycause of all the wordes of this wrytynge: & what they them selues had sene, and what had happened vnto them.

And the Iues set it vp, and toke it vpon [unspec F] them and theyr seede, and vpon all suche as ioyned themselues vnto them, that they wold not mysse but obserue these two dayes yerely accordyng as they were wrytten and appoyn¦ted, how that these dayes are not to be forgot¦ten, but to be kepte of chyldrens chyldren a∣mong all kynreds in all landes and cityes. They are the dayes of Phurim, whiche are not to be ouerslypte amonge the Iues, & the memorial of them ought not to peryshe from theyr sede. And quene Esther the doughter of Abihail & Mardocheus the Iue wrote with all auctorite (to confirme this seconde wry∣tynge of Phurim) and sent the letters vnto all the Iues in the hundred & seuen & twentie landes of the Empyre of Ahasuarus, with frend••ly and faythfull wordes, to confirme these dayes of Phurim, in theyr tyme appoyn¦ted, accordyng as Mardocheus the Iue and Esther the quene had appoynted them.

And they bounde theyr soule & theyr seede [unspec G] to fastynge, & prayer. And Esther stablysshed the wordes of these lottes, as it is wrytten in the boke. And the kyng Ahasuerus layde tri∣bute vpon the land, and vpon the Iles of the see. And all that he dyd by his power & aucto¦rite, and the great worshyp of Mardocheus whiche the kynge gaue hym, be they not wryt¦ten in the Cronicles of the kynges of Media and Persia? For Mardocheus the Iue was the seconde nexte vnto kyng Ahasuerus, and great among the Iues, and accepted among the multitude of the brethren, as one that se∣keth the welthe of his people, and speaketh the best for all his seede.

The ende of the boke of Esther.

The boke of Iob.

¶ Iob by plaged of god by the losse of his goodes, and Chyldren.

CAPI. Primo.

IN the lande of Hus there [unspec A] was a mā whose name was Iob: and the same was a perfyte & iust man, suche a one as feared God, and exchued euyll. And he had seuen sonnes and thre doughters. His substaunce also was seuen. M. shepe, and thre. M. camelles, fyue. C. yocke of oxen, and fyue. C. she asses, and a very greate housholde: so that he was one of the most principal men among al them of the East countrye. And his sonnes wente, and made bankettes: one daye in one house, an other daye in an other, and sente for theyr thre systers, to eate and drynke with them.

And it fortuned, that when they had passed ouer the tyme of theyr bankettynge rounde aboute, Iob sent for them, and ☞ sanctified them, and gat vp early, and offered for euery one a burntofferyng. For Iob sayde: lest per∣aduenture my sonnes haue done some offence & ☞ haue bene vnthankefull to god in theyr hertes. Thus dyd Iob euery day. And vpon a day when ☞ the chyldren of God came & stode before the Lorde, it fortuned that Sa∣tan come also amonge them.

And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan. From [unspec B] whence comest thou? Satan answered the Lorde, and sayde: I haue gone aboute the lande, and walked thorowe it. And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan: hast thou not consydered my seruaunt Iob, how that there is none lyke hym in the lande? a perfyte and a iust man, suche a one as feareth God, & exchueth euyll. Satan answered, and sayde vnto the Lorde: Doth Iob feare God for nought? hast thou not preserued hym, and his house, and al that he hath on euery syde? Thou hast blessed the workes of his handes, and his possessyon is encreased in the lande. But laye thyne hande nowe vpon hym ❀ (a lytle) and touche al that he hath, and he shal curse the to thy face. And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan: Lo, all that he hath, be in thy power: onely vpon hym selfe se that thou lay not thyne hande. And Satan went forth from the presence of the Lorde.

And vpon a certayne day it fortuned, that [unspec C] his sonnes and doughters were eatyng, and drinkyng wyne in theyr eldest brothers house and there came a messenger vnto Iob, and sayde, whyle the oxen were a plowynge, and the Asses goynge in the pasture besyde them the Sabers came in violently, and toke them awaye: yea they haue sleyne thy seruauntes with the edge of the swerde: and I onely ran my waye, to tell the. Whyle he was yet spea∣kynge, there came an other and sayde.

The fyre of god is fallen frō heuen, and hath brent vp all thy shepe and seruauntes, and consumed them: and I onely ranne my way, to tell the. And whyle he was yet speakynge there came an other, and sayde.

The Caldees made thre armyes, and fell [unspec D] in vpon the Camelles, and haue caryed them awaye, yea and sleyne thy seruauntes with the swerde: and I onely am gotten awaye, to tel the. And whyle he was yet speakyng, there came an other, and sayde: Thy sonnes and thy doughters were eatynge and drynkynge wyne in theyr eldest brothers house, and be∣holde: there came a myghty great wynde out of the South, and smote the foure corners of the house: whiche fell vpon thy chyldren, and they are deade: and I am gotten away alone, to tell the. Then Iob stode vp, and rente his clothes, and shaued his heade, fell downe vpon the grounde, worshypped, and sayde: Naked came I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shall I turne thyther agayne.

The Lorde gaue, and the Lorde hath taken away, ❀ (euen as it hath pleased the lorde, so is it come to passe) Blessed be the name of the lorde. In all these thynges dyd Iob not of∣fende, nor murmured folysshly agaynst god.

¶ Iob is plaged with sore byles, and afterwards is mocked of his wyfe. His frendes vispt hym, and haue cōmpassyon on hym.

CAPI. II.

ANd the chyldren of God came and stode [unspec A] before the Lorde, and Satan came also amonge them, & stode before the Lorde. And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan: Frome whence comest thou? Satan answered the Lorde, and sayde: I haue gone aboute the lande, and walked thorowe it. And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan: hast thou not consydered my seruaunt Iob▪ for there is none lyke hym in the lande. For he is a perfyte and iust man suche a one as feareth God, & exchueth euyl, and contynueth styll in his godlynesse.

And thou mouedst me agaynst hym, that [unspec B] I shulde punysshe hym for nought. And So ••an answered the Lorde, and sayde. Skynne for skynne? yea a man wyll gyue all that euer he hath, for his lyfe. But laye thyne hande nowe vpon hym, & touche once his bon••, and flesshe, and he shall curse the to thy face. And the Lorde sayde vnto Satan: Lo, there haste thou hym in thy power, but spare his lyfe.

So went Satan forth from the presence of

the Lorde, and smote Iob with merueylous sore byles, from the sole of his foote vnto his crowne: so that he sat vpon the grounde in the asshes, & scraped of the fylthe of his sores with a pot sharde. Then sayde his wyfe vnto hym: Doest thou contynue yet in thy per∣fytenesse? curse God and dye. But Iob sayde vnto her: Thou speakest lyke a folysshe wo∣man. Shal we receyue prosperite at the hand of God, and not receyue aduersyte?

In all these thynges dyd not Iob synne with his lyppes. Nowe when Iobs frendes [unspec C] herde of all the trouble, that happened vnto hym, there came thre of them, euery one from his owne place: namely, Eliphas the Thema¦nite, Bildad the Suhite, & Zophad the Naa∣mathite. And they were agreed togyther to come to shewe theyr compassyon vpon hym, and to conforte hym. So when they lyfte vp theyr eyes a farre of, they knewe hym not.

Then they cryed, and wepte: and euery one of them rente his clothes, and sprynkeled dust vpon theyr heades in the ayre. They sat them downe by hym also vpon the grounde seuen dayes & vii. nyghtes. Neyther was there any of them that spake one worde vnto hym: for they sawe, that his payne was very great.

¶ The wordes of Iob, wherin he declareth that this present lyfe is miserable, and that the death of the ryghteous is ioyous and ••or••unable.

CAPI. III.

AFter this opened Iob his mouth, and [unspec A] ☞ cursed his day. And Iob answered, and sayd: lost be that day wherin I was borne: & the nyght, in the whiche it was sayd, there is a man chylde conceyued. The same day be turned to darkenesse, and not regar∣ded of god from aboue, neyther let him shyne vpon it with lyght: but let it be stayned with darkenesse, and the shadowe of death. Let the dymme cloude fall vpon it, and let it be ••ap∣ped in with sorowe on the daye tyme. Let the darke storme ouercome that nyght, and let it not be ioyned vnto the dayes of the yere, nor counted in the monethes. Desolate be that nyght, and without gladnesse: let them that curse the daye, and that be redye to rayse vp mournynge, gyue it also theyr curse. Let the sterres of that night be dymme thorow dark∣nesse of it. Let it loke for lyghte, but let it se none, neyther ❀ the rysynge vp of the fayre mornynge: bycause it shut not vp the wombe that bare me: For then shulde these sorowes haue bene hyd fro myne eyes.

Alas, why dyed I not in the byrth? why dyd not I perysshe, as soone as I came oute [unspec B] of my mothers wombe? Why set they me vpon theyr knees? Why gaue they me sucke with theyr brestes? Then shuld I nowe haue lyen styll, I shulde haue slepte, and bene at rest: lyke as the kynges & lordes of the earth, which haue buylded them selues specyal pla¦ces: Or as the prynces that haue had greate substaunce of golde, and theyr houses full of syluer. Or why was I not hyd, as a thynge borne out of tyme, eyther as yonge chyldren whiche neuer sawe the lyght? ☞ There must the wycked ceasse from theyr tyranny, & there such as are ouerlaboured be at rest: there are those let out free, which haue bene in pryson, so that they heare no more the voyce of the op¦pressoure: There are small and great, and the seruaunt is free from his mayster.

Wherfore is the lyght gyuen to hym that [unspec C] is in miserye? and lyfe vnto them, that haue heuy hertes? which long for death (& though it come not) ☞ wolde dyg it out of hyd pla∣ces whiche also wolde be excedyng glad and reioyce, yf they coulde fynde theyr graue any¦where. That shuld be ioy to that mā ☞ whose waye is hyd, and God kepeth it backe from hym. For my syghes come before I eate, and my rorynges fall out lyke the water. For the thynge that I feared is come vpon me: and the thynge that I was afrayde of, is happe∣ned vnto me. Was I not happy? Had I not quyetnesse? Was I not in rest? And nowe cometh suche misery vpon me.

¶ Iob ••o reprehended of impatience, and in iustice, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the presumptyon of his owne ryghteousnesse.

CAPI. IIII.

ANd Eliphas the Themanite answered [unspec A] and sayde: If we begyn to comen v••th the, wylte thou be discontent? but who can withholde hym selfe from speakynge?

Beholde, thou hast bene a chastenet of many & hast conforted the wery handes. Thy word{is} haue set vp those that were fallen, thou hast refresshed the weyke knees.

But nowe that the plage is come vpon the, thou arte greued: nowe that it hath tou∣ched thy selfe, thou arte faynt herted. ☞ Is not this thy feare, thy stedfastnesse, thy paci∣ence, [unspec B] and the perfytenesse of thy wayes? Con∣sydre (I praye the) who euer perysshed beyng an innocent? Or when were the Godly de∣stroyed? For (as I haue proued by experience) they that plowe iniquitie, and sowe wret∣chednesse reape the same. With the blaste of God they perysshe, and with the breth of his nose thyrles are they consumed awaye.

The rorynge of the Lyon, and the voyce of the Lyon, and the teeth of the Lyons whel∣pes are pulled out.

The lyon peryssheth for lacke of praye, and the lyons whelpes are scattered abrode.

And vnto me came the worde secretly, and [unspec C] myne eare hath receyued a lytell therof. In the thoughtes and visions of the nyght (whē slepe cometh on men) fere came vpon me and drede, whiche made all my bones to shake.

The wynde passed by, before my presence, & made the heeres of my flesshe to stande vp.

He stode there, and I knewe not his face, an ymage there was before myne eyes, and in the stylnes herde I a voyce. ☞ Shall man be more iust then God? Or shall a man be pu¦rer then his maker? Beholde, ☞ he founde no trueth in his seruauntes, and in his an∣gels there was folye.

Howe moche more in them that dwell in [unspec D] houses of clay, and whose foundacyon is but dust: which shalbe consumed as it were with a moth? They shall be smytten frome the mornyng vnto the euenyng: yea they shal pe∣ryshe for euer, when no mā thynketh theron. Is not theyr royaltye gone away with them: they shall dye truely, and not in wysdome.

¶ The ••ude of a foole. The ryghteousnes of god. The Lorde chasteneth his, and deliuereth them agayne.

CAPI. V.

CRye (I pray the) yf happly there be any [unspec A] that wyll answere the, & loke thou vpon any of the holy men. As for the folysshe mā, displeasure kylleth hym, & angre sleyeth the ygnoraunt, I haue sene my selfe, when the folyshe was depe roted, & sodeynly ☞ I cursed his habitacion. His chyldren were w^t∣out prosperite, & they were sleyne in the gate, and there was no man to delyuer them: His haruest was eaten vp of the hungrie: and the weaponed man spoyled it, and the thurstye dranke vp theyr laboure. It is not the earth that bryngeth forth iniquite, neyther cometh sorow out of the groūde: but ☞ man is borne vnto labour, lyke as the sparkes flye vp out of the hote coles.

But I wyll aske counsell at the Lorde, & [unspec B] wyl talke with god: which doth thynges, that are vnsearcheable, and meruayles withoute nombre: He gyueth rayne vpon the earth / & poureth water vpon the stretes, to set vp them that be of low degre, & that those which are in heuynes may come to prosperite. He destroyeth the deuyses of the subtyle / so that theyr hand{is} are not able to performe any sted¦fast thyng. He compasseth the wyse in theyr owne craftynesse, & ouerthroweth the counsel of the wycked. In so moche that they run in to darkenes by fayre day, and grope about them at the noone day, lyke as in the nyght.

He shall delyuer the poore from the swerde [unspec C] and from the threatenynges of the vngodly and from the vyolence of the myghtye. He is the hope of the poore: and the mouthe of the wycked shalbe stopped. Beholde, happy is the man, whom god punyssheth: therfore, re∣fuse not thou the chastenyng of the almygh∣tye. For though he make a wounde, he gy∣ueth a plaster: though he smyte, his hande maketh hole agayne. ☞ He shall delyuer the in syxe troubles, and in the seuenth there shal none euyll come to the. In hunger he shall saue the from deathe: and when it is warre, from the power of the swerde.

Thou shalte be kepte from the euyl tougue [unspec D] & when trouble cometh, thou shalte not nede to feare. In destruccyon and derth thou shalt be mery, and shalte not be afrayde of beast{is} of the earth: For ☞ the stones of the lande shall be confederate with the, and the beastes of the felde shall gyue the peace. And thou shalte knowe, that thy dwellynge place shall be in rest: and thou shalte go and beholde thy habitacion, and shalte not synne. Thou shalt se also, that thy sede shall encreace, and that thy posterite shall be as the grasse vpon the earth. Thou shalte come also to thy graue in a fayre age, lyke as when they take vp a corne sheafe in due season. Lo, this we oure selues haue proued by experience, and euen thus it is. Herken thou to it also, that thou mayste take hede to thy selfe.

¶ Iob answereth that his payne is more greuous, then his faute: yet notwithstandynge he delyteth therin.

CAPI. VI.

IOb answered also, and sayde, ☞ O that [unspec A] the dyspleasure which I haue were truely weyed, and my punysshment layde in the balaunces togyther: for now is it heuyer thē the sande of the see. And this is the cause that my wordes are so sorowfull. For the arowes of the almyghtie are rounde about me, whose indignacyon hath dronke vp my spirite, and the terrible feares of god are set agaynst me.

Doth the wylde Asse rore when he hathe grasse? or cryeth the oxe, when he hath fodder ynough? That whiche is vnsauerye, shall it be eaten without salte, or is there any taste in the whyte of an egge? The thyng{is} that some¦tyme I myght not awaye withall, are nowe my meate for very sorowe.

O that I myght haue my desyre: and that [unspec B] God wolde graunte me the thynge, that I longe for: O that God wolde begynne and smyte me: that he wolde let his hande go, and take me cleane awaye.

Then shuld I haue some cōforte: yea I wolde

desyre hym in my payne, that he shulde not spare, for I wyl not be agaynst the wordes of the holy one. For what power haue I to en∣dure? And what is myne ende, that my soule myghte be pacient?

Is my strengthe the strengthe of stones? [unspec B] Or, is my flesshe made of brasse? Is it not so that there is in me no helpe: and that my sub∣staunce is taken from me. He that is in tri∣bulacyon ought to be conforted of his neygh¦bour: but the feare of the lord is cleane away. Myne owne brethren passe ouer by me as the water broke, and as the ryuer of water doth hastely go away. But they that fere the horye frost, the snowe shall fall vpon them. When theyr tyme cometh, they shalbe destroyed and perysshe: when they be set on fyre, they shall be remoued out of theyr place, for the pathes that they go in, are croked: they haste after vayne thyng{is}, and shal perysshe. They turne them to the pathes of Theman and to the wayes of Saba, wherin they haue put theyr trust. Confounded are they, that put any con¦fidence in them: For when they come to ob∣teyne the thynges that they loke for, they are brought to confusyon.

Euen so are ye also come vnto me: but now that ye se my miserye, ye are afrayde. Dyd I desyre you, to brynge vnto me, or to gyue me any of your substaunce? To delyuer me from the enemyes hande, or to saue me frome the hande of tyrauntes? Teache me, and I wyll holde my tongue: And when I do arre, shewe me wherin. Howe stedfast are the wordes of trueth? And whiche of you can rebuke and reproue them? Do ye take deliberacyon to checke mennes sayenges, and iudge a poore worde spoken in vayne? Ye fall vpon the fa∣therlesse and go aboute to ouerthrowe youre owne frende. And therfore be content, and loke now vpon me, and I wyl not lye before your face. Turne (I pray you) be indifferent Iudges turne agayne, and ye shall se myne vngyltynesse: whyther there be any vnrygh∣teousnesse in my tongue, or vayne wordes in my mouth.

¶ Iob sheweth that this lyfe is but a battayle, or warfare.

CAPI. VII.

HAth man ❀ any certayne tyme vpon [unspec A] earth? Are not his dayes also lyke the dayes of an hyred seruaunt? For like as a bonde seruaunt desyreth the shadowe, and as an hyrelyng wolde fayne haue an ende of his worke. Euen so haue I laboured hole monethes longe (but in vayne,) and many a carefull nyght haue I tolde. when I lay me downe to slepe, I say: O when shall I aryse? Agayne. I longed sore for the nyght. And in the meane tyme am I full of sorowes vntyll the twylyght. My flesshe is clothed with [unspec B] wormes, & dust of the earth: my skyn is wy∣thered, and become horrible my dayes passe ouer more spedely, then a weyuer can weyue out his webb••: and are gone or I am aware. O remembre, that my lyfe is but a wynd, and that myne eye shall no more se the pleasures therof, yea and that none other mannes eye shal se me any more. For yf thou fasten thyne eyes vpon me, I come to nought. The cloud is consumed and vanysshed away, euen so he that goeth downe to the graue ☞ shall come nomore vp, nor turne agayne in to his house neyther shall his place know hym any more.

Therfore I wyll not spare my mouth, but [unspec C] wyll speake in the trouble of my spirite, and muse in the bytternesse of my mynde. Am I a see or a whale fyshe, that thou kepest me so in pryson? When I saye: my bed shall comforte me. I shal haue some refresshyng by talkyng to my selfe vpon my couche. Thē troublest thou me w^t dreames, & makest me so afrayde thorow visions, that my soule wysheth rather to perysshe & dye, then my bones to remayne. I can se no remedy, I shall lyue no more: O spare me then, for my dayes are but vayne.

What is man, that thou hast hym in suche [unspec D] reputacion, and settest so moch by hym? thou visitest hym early, and euery daye, sodeynly doest thou trye hym. Why goest thou not fro me, nor lettest me alone, ☞ so longe tyll I may swalowe downe my spetle? I haue offen¦ded, and what shall I do vnto the, O thou preseruer of men? Why haste thou made me to stande in thy way, & am so heuy a burden vnto my selfe? Why doest thou not forgyue me my synne? Wherfore takest thou not a∣waye my wyckednesse. Beholde, nowe must I slepe in the dust: and yf thou seke me to mo¦rowe in the mornyng, I shall be gone.

¶ Iob is reprehended and noted to haue ••e••••••ned his payne. A descryptyon of ypocrisye.

CAPI. VIII.

THen answered Baldad the Suhite, and [unspec A] sayde: Howe longe wylte thou talke of suche thynges? Howe longe shall thy mouth speake so proude wordes? Doth God peruerte the thyng that is lawfull? Or dothe the almyghty destroy the thing that is right? For seynge that thy sonnes synned agaynste hym, dyd not he punyshe them for theyr wyc∣kednesse? If thou woldest nowe resorte vnto God by tymes, & make thyne humble prayer to the almyghtte: yf thou woldest lyue a pure and a Godly lyfe: shulde he not awake vp

vnto the immediatly, and gyue the, the beau tye of ryghteousnesse agayne? In so moche, that wherin soeuer thou haddest lytel before, thou shuldest now haue great aboundaunce.

Enquyre (I pray the) of them that haue ben [unspec B] before the▪ and searche diligently amonge theyr fathers. For we are but of yesterdaye, & consydre not, that our dayes vpon earth are but a very shadowe. Shal not they shew the and tell the, yea and gladly confesse the same?

May a rysshe be grene without moystnes? Or maye the grasse growe without water? No, but (or euer it be shot forth, & or euer it be gathered) it withereth, before any other herbe Euen so gothe it with all them, that forget God: and euen thus also shall the ypocrites hope come to nought. His confidence shal be destroyed, and his trust shalbe a spiders web.

He shall leane vpon his house, but it shall [unspec C] not stande: he shall holde hym fast by it, yet shall it not endure. It is euen as a grene tree before the sonne, and shuteth forth the braun∣ches in his garden: It taketh many rotes by a wel syde, in so moch that it is lyke an house of stones. But yf it be taken out of his place, euery man denyeth it, sayenge: I knowe the ••ot. Lo, thus is it with hym, that reioyseth in his owne doynges: & as for other, they grow out of the earth. Beholde, God wyll not cast away a vertuous man, neyther wyll he helpe the vngodly. Thy mouth shall he fyll with laughynge, and thy lyppes with gladnesse. They also that hate the shall be confounded, and the dwellynge of the vngodly shal come to nought.

¶ Iob declareth the benefyte•• of God, and that mannes ryghteousnesse is nothynge.

CAPI. IX.

IOb answered, and sayde: I knowe it is so [unspec A] of a trueth. For howe may a man (compa∣red vnto God) be iustifyed? If he wyll argue with hym, he shall not be able to an∣swere hym vnto one amonge a thousande. Concernynge suche as be wyse of herte, or myghty instrength, who euer prospered, that toke parte agaynst hym? He translateth the mountaynes, or euer they be aware. It is he that ouerthroweth them in his wrath. He re∣moueth the earth oute of her place, that the pyllers therof shake withall. He cōmaundeth the sonne, and it ryseth not: he closeth vp the sterr{is}, as it were vnder a sygnet. He hym selfe alone spreadeth oute the heuens, and goeth vpon the waues of the see. He maketh the waynes of heuen, ☞ the Orion, the seuen sterres, and the secret places of the south. He both great thynges, such as are vnserchable yea and wonders without nombre.

Lo, when he gothe ouer by me, I shal not [unspec B] se hym. And when he departeth, by me, I shal not loke vpon hym: I shal not perceyue hym If he be hasty to take any thynge away, who wyl make hym restore it agayn? Or who wyl say vnto hym what doest thou? ‡ He is god whose wrath no man may withstand: but the proudest of all must stoupe vnder hym. How shulde I then answere hym? or what wordes shuld I fynde out agaynst hym? Yea though I were righteous, yet myght I not gyue him one worde agayn, but mekely submyt my self to hym as my iudge. If I had called vpon hym, and he had answered me, ☞ yet wolde I not byleue, that he herde my voyce: he trou bleth me so with the tempest, and woundeth [unspec C] me out of measure without a cause. He wyll not let my spirite be in rest, but fylleth me w^t bytternesse. If men wyl speke of strength: lo, he is stronge: yf men wyll speake of ryghte∣ousnesse, who dare be my recorde. If I wyll iustifie my selfe, ☞ myne owne mouth shall condempne me: If I wyll put forth my selfe for a perfyte man, he shal proue me a wycked doer: For though I be an innocent, and my conscience cleare, yet am I wery of my lyfe.

One thyng it is and therfore I sayde. He destroyeth both the ryghteous and vngodly. And though he sley sodeynly w^t the scourge. yet wyll he laugh at the punysshment of the innocent. As for the worlde, it is gyuen ouer in to the hande of the wycked, and he shal co∣uer the faces of the iudges therof. Is it not so? Where is there any but he is suche one.

My dayes are more swyfte then a runner they are gone and haue sene no good thyng. [unspec D] They are passed away, as the shyppes that be good vnder sayle: and as the Egle / that flyeth to the praye. When I am purposed to forget my complaynynge, to leaue of fro my wrath, and to conforte my selfe: then am I afrayde of all my sorowes, for I knowe, that thou wyite not iudge me innocent. If I be then a wycked doer, why labour I in vayne? If I wasshe my selfe with snowe water, and make myne handes neuer so cleane ❀ at the well, yet shalte thou dyp me in the myre, and ☞ myne owne clothes shall defyle me. For he that I must gyue answere vnto, and with whom I go to lawe: is not a man as I am. Neyther is there any dayes man to laye his hande bytwene vs. Let hym take his rod a∣way fro me, yea let hym make me no more a∣frayde of hym, and then shall I answere hym without any feare. For as long as it is thus, I can make no answere.

¶ Iob i•• wery of his lyfe, and setteth out his frag••lyte before god. He desy••eth the tyme to repent. A dis••typ∣ryon of death.

CAPI. X.

IT greueth my soule to lyue. I wyll make [unspec A] my complaynte, and wyl speake out of the very heuynesse of my soule. I wyl say vn∣to God: O do not condemne me, but shew me the cause, wherfore thou contendest so with me. Thynkest thou it well done, to oppresse me, to cast me of (beyng the worke of thy han des) and to maynteyne the counsell of the vn godly▪ Hal••e thou flesshy eyes: or doest thou loke as a man loketh? Or are thy dayes as the dayes of man, and thy yeres as mans ye∣res? that thou makest suche inquisicion for my wyckednesse, and searchest out my synne? where as (notwithstandynge) thou knowest that I am no wycked persone, & that there is no man able to delyuer me oute of thyne hande. Thy handes haue made me, and fassyoned me altogyther rounde about, wylt thou then destroy me sodeynly?

O remembre (I beseke the) how that thou [unspec B] madest me of the moulde of the earth, & shalt brynge me into dust agayne. Hast thou not turned me, as it were mylke: & turned me to cruddes lyke chese? Thou haste couered me with skynne & fleshe, and ioyned me togyther with hones & synnowes. Thou hast graun∣ted me lyfe, & done me good: and the dilygent hede that thou tokest vpō me, hath preserued my spiryte. Thou hast hyd these thynges in thyne herte. I am sure, that thou remembrest this thyng. Y•• I dyd syn, thou haddest an eye vnto me, & shalt not declare me innocent by∣cause of myn offence. Y•• I haue done wycked lye, wo is me therfore: yf I haue done rygh∣teously, yet da••e I not lyfte vp my heade: so ful am I of cōfusyon, & se myne owne misery

Thou huntest me out (beyng in heuynesse) [unspec C] as it were a Lyon, and troublest me oute of measure. Thou bryngest freshe wytnesses a∣gaynst me, & thy wrath increasest thou vpon me, very many are the plages that I am in. Whefore hast thou brought me out of my mothers wombe? O that I had perysshed, & that no eye had sene me. If they had caryed me to my graue assoone as I was borne, then shuld I be now, as though I had neuer bene. Are not my dayes fewe? Let hym then leaue of fro me and let me alone, that I maye ease my selfe a lytell before I go thyther, frome whence I shall not turne agayne: euen to the lande of darkenesse and shadowe of deathe: yea in to that darke cloudy lande and deadly shadowe, where as is no ordre, but terrible feare, as in the darkenesse.

¶ Iob is vn••ustly reprehended of Sophar. God is incom∣prehensyble: He is mercyfull to the rep••••tou••••.

CAPI. XI.

THen answered Sophar the Naamathite [unspec A] and sayde: Shulde not he that maketh many wordes, be answered? Shulde he that bableth moche, be cōmended therin? Sulde men gyue eare vnto the onely? Thou wyite laugh other men to scorne, and shal no body mocke the agayne? Wylte thou say vn∣to God: The thynge that I take in hande is perfyte, and I am cleane in thy syght? O that god wolde speake, & open his lyppes agaynst the, that he myght shew the (out of his secret wysdome) why he rewardeth the double as he was appoynted to do: then shuldest thou knowe, that God had forgotten the, bycause of thy synne.

Arte thou able to fynde out the secretes of [unspec B] god? or wylt thou atteyne to the perfitenes of the almyghtie? He is hygher thē heuen, what arte thou able to do? Deper then the hel, how wylte thou then know hym? His length exce∣deth the length of the earth: and his bredth / the bredth of the see. Though he turne al thus ges vpside downe, close them in, gather them togyther, who wyll turne hym from his pur∣pose? ❀ (Or vvho maye saye vnto hym, vvhy doest thou so?) For it is he that knoweth the vanite of men, he seeth theyr wyckednes also shulde he not then consydre it? A vayne body exalteth hym selfe, & man newe borne is lyke a wylde asses colte. If thou had dest nowe a right hert, & lyftedst vp thyne hand{is} towarde hym: yf thou woldest put away the wycked∣nesse which thou hast in hande, so that no vn godlynesse dwell in thy house.

Then myghtest thou lyfte vp thy face [unspec C] without shame, & then shuldest thou be sure, & haue no nede to feare. Then shuldest thou forget thy mysery, and thynke no more vpon it then vpon the waters that runne by. Then shulde the residue of thy lyfe be as cleare / as the noone day, and spryng forth as the mor∣nynge. Then myghtest thou haue cōforte, in the hope that thou hast: & slepe quietly, when thou art buried. Then shuldest thou take thy rest, & no man to make the afrayde▪ yea many one shuld set moch by the. As for the eyes of the vngodly, they shalbe cōsumed, & not scape theyr hope shalbe misery & sorowe of mynde.

¶ Iob in shewynge his perpe••ce, declareth the myght and power of god.

CAPI. XII.

SO Iob answerd & sayd. Then (no doute) [unspec A] yeare the men alone, and wysdome shall perysshe with you. But I haue vnderstan∣dynge

as well as ye, and am no lesse then ye. Yea who knoweth not these thynges? Thus he that calleth vpon God, and whom god he∣reth, is mocked of his neyghbour: The god∣lye and innocente man is laughed to scorne.

Godlynesse is a lyght despised in the hertes of the ryche, and is set for them to stomble vpon. The houses of robbers are in welthe and prosperite, & they that maliciously medle agaynst God, dwell withoute care: in those thynges that God hath gyuen rychely with his hande.

Aske the cattell, and they shall enfourme [unspec B] the: The fowles of the ayre, and they shall tel the: Or the encreace of the earth, and it shall shewe the: Or the fysshes of the see, and they shal certifie the. What is he, but he knoweth that the hande of the Lorde made all these?

In whose hande is the soule of euery ly∣uynge thynge, and the breth of the flesshe of all men. Haue not the eares pleasure in hearyng, and the mouth in tastyng the thyng that it eateth? Among olde persones there is wysdome, and in age is vnderstandynge. Yea with God is wysdome and strength, it is he that hath counsayle and▪ fore knowledge. Beholde, If he breake downe a thynge, who can set it vp agayne? If he shut a thynge, who wyll open it? Beholde, & yf he withholde the waters, they drye vp: If he let them go, they destroy the earth. With hym is strength end wysdome: he knoweth both the deceyuer and hym that is deceyued.

He caryeth away the wyse men, as it were [unspec C] a spoyle, & bryngeth the Iudges out of theyr wyttes. He taketh away the subieccion of the people from theyr kynges, and gyrdeth theyr loynes with a bonde. He leadeth awaye the great men in to captiuite, and turneth the myghtye vpsyde downe. He taketh the ve∣rite from out of the mouth, and disapoynteth the aged of theyr reason. He poureth out con∣fusyon vpon prynces, and conforteth them that haue bene oppressed. Loke what lyeth hyd in darkenesse, he declareth it openly: and the verye shadowe of deathe bryngeth he to lyghte. He bothe encreaseth the people, and destroyeth them. He maketh them to multi∣plye, and dryueth them awaye. He chaungeth the hertes of them that rule the people of the earth, and disapoynteth them: so that they go wandrynge out of the waye, and grope in the darke without lyght: he maketh them also to sta••ker to and fro lyke dronken men.

¶ Iob reproueth his frendes with they•• owne sayenges, and condemneth ypocrps••••.

CAPI. XIII.

LO, all this haue I sene with myne eye, [unspec A] herde with myne eare, and vnderstande it. Loke what ye knowe, that same do I know also, neyther am I inferiour vnto you. Neuerthelesse, I talke with the almyghtye and my desyre is to comen with God. As for you, ye are worke maysters of lyes, and vn∣profytable Phisicians all togyther. Wolde God ye kepte your tongue, for then myght ye be taken for wyse men. Nowe heare my chy∣dynge, and pondre the sentence of my lyppes.

Do ye speake iniquite agaynst God? and [unspec B] talke agaynst hym with deceyte? Wyl ye not accepte the person of hym? Or wyll ye con∣tende with God? Shall that helpe you, when he calleth you to rekenynge. For as one man mocketh an other, so do ye mocke hym.

He shall punysshe you: and reproue you; yf ye do secretly accepte any persone. Shall he not make you afrayde whē he sheweth hym self? Shall not his terrible feare fall vpon you? Your remembraunce is lyke vnto a sparke, and your bodyes lyke the claye. Holde youre tongues for my sake, that I also may speak•• and my sorowe shall be the lesse.

☞ Wherfore do I beare my flesshe in my [unspec C] ☜ tethe, and put my soule in my handes? Lo, though he sley me, yet wyll I put my trust in hym. But I wyl reproue myne owne wayes in his syght, he shal make me hole: and there maye no ypocrite come before hym. Heare my wordes, and pondre my sayenges with your eares. Beholde, nowe haue I prepared my iudgement, and know that I shall be founde ryghteous. What is he that wyll go to lawe with me? ❀ (Let hym come) that I may now holde my tongue, & dye. Neuertheles graunt me two thynges, and then wyll I not hyde my selfe from the.

Withdrawe thyne hande from me, and let [unspec D] not the fearful drede of the, make me afrayde And then call me, and I wyll answere: or els let me speake, and gyue thou me an answere. Howe many are my mysdedes and synnes? Let me knowe my transgressyons and offen∣ces? Wherfore hydest thou thy face, and hol∣dest me for thyne enemye? Wylte thou be so cruel and extreme vnto a flyeng leafe, and ••o low vpon drye stubble? for thou layest sharp∣lye to my charge, and punysshest me for the synnes of my youth. Thou puttest my fete also in the stockes: and lokest narowly vnto all my pathes, and markest the steppes of my fete: where as I (notwithstandyng) must cō∣sume, lyke as a fowle caryon, and as a clothe that is moth eaten.

¶ Iob des••llybe••h the lyte of 〈…〉〈…〉, and prophesyeth of the resurre••••yon. Hope systeyneth the godly, vntyll they obteyne th•••• they io••e for.

CAPI. XIIII.

MAn that is borne of woman, hath but a [unspec A] shorte tyme to lyue, & is full of miserye. He cōmeth vp and is cut downe lyke a floure. He flyeth as it were a shadow, and ne∣uer continueth in one state. Doest thou open thyne eyes vpon soche one, and bryngest me in thy iudgement? Who can make it cleane / that cōmeth of an vncleane thyng? No body, The dayes of man surely are determyned / the nombre of his monethes are knowen on∣ly vnto the. Thou haste appoynted hym his boundes, whiche he can not go beyonde. Go from hym, that he maye rest ❀ (a lytle,) vn∣tyll his daye come: whiche he loketh for, lyke as an hyrelynge doth.

Yf a tre be cut downe, there is some hope [unspec B] yet, that it wyll sproute, and shutte forth the braunches agayne: For though the rote of it be waxen olde, & the stocke therof be deade in the grounde, yet when it getteth the sente of water, it wyl budde, & brynge forth bowes, lyke as the ire that is planted. But as for man / when he is deade, perysshed and consu∣med awaye, what becommeth of hym? The floodes when they be dryed vp, and the ry∣uers when they be emptye, are fylled agayne thorowe the flowynge waters of the see: but when man slepeth, he ryseth not agayne (of his owne strength) vntyl the heuen perysh: he shal not wake vp nor ryse out of his slepe.

O that thou woldest kepe me, & hyde me [unspec C] in the hell, vntyll thy wrath were stylled: and to appoynt me a tyme, wherin thou myghtest remembre me. Maye a deade man lyue a∣gayne? All the dayes of my lyfe wyll I wayte styll, tyll my chaungynge shall come. Thou shalt call me, and I shall answere the: despyse not y^u the worke of thyne owne han des. For nowe thou nōbrest all my goynges, yet be not thou to extreme vpon my synnes. My iniquite is sealed vp, as it were in a bag but be mercyfull vnto my wyckednesses.

The moūtaynes fall away at the last, the [unspec D] rockes are remoued out of theyr place, the wa¦ters pearse thorowe the very stones by lytle and lytle, the floodes washe away the grauel and earth: And destroyest thou the hope of man? Thou preuaylest styll agaynst hym, so that he passeth awaye: thou chaungest his estate, and puttest hym from the. And why∣ther his chyldren come to worshyppe or no, he cannot tel: And yf they be men of lowe de∣gree, he knoweth not. Whyle he lyueth, his flesshe muste haue trauayle: and whyle the soule is in hym, he must be in sorowe.

¶ Eliphas reprehendeth Iob, bycause he as••••ybeth wysdom and purenes to hym selfe. He descrybeth the course that fal∣leth on the wyched, rekenyng Iob to be one of that nombre.

CAPI. XV.

THen answered Eliphas the Themanite [unspec A] and sayde: Shal a wyse mans answere be the scyence of the wynde, and fyl any mans bely as it were with the wynde of the east? Shall he reproue with a worde, that is nothynge worth: and speake the thynges / whiche can do no good? As for shame, thou hast set it a syde, els woldest thou not make so many wordes before god: but thy wycked∣nesse teacheth thy mouthe, and so thou haste chosen the a craftye tongue. Thyne owne mouth condemneth the, and not I: Yea thyne owne lyppes shape an answere agaynst the. Art thou the fyrst man, that euer was borne? Or, wast thou made before the hylles? haste thou herde the secrete counsayle of God, that all wysdom is to lytle for the? What knowest thou, that we knowe not? And what vnder∣standest thou, but we can the same? With vs are bothe olde & aged men, yea soche as haue lyued longer then thy father.

Thynkest thou it a small thynge of the [unspec B] consolacyons of god? with the is a lyenge worde. Why doth thyne herte so be with the? And wherfore wynkest thou with thyne eyes that thy mynde is so pufte agaynst god, and lettest soche wordes go out of thy mouth? What is man, that he shulde be cleane? what hath he (whiche is borne of a woman) wher∣by he myght be ryghtuous? Beholde, he doth not truste his sayntes: Yey the very he∣uens are not cleane in his syght. Howe moch more then an abhomynable and vyle man / whiche drynketh wyckednesse lyke water? I wyll tell the, heare me, and I wyll shewe the that I haue sene: which wyse men haue told / and hath not bene hyd from theyr ☞ fathers vnto whome onely the earth was gyuen, and no straunger went amonge.

The vngodly soroweth all the dayes of his lyfe as it were a woman traueylynge of [unspec C] chylde, and the nombre of a tyrauntes yeres is vnknowen. A fearfull soūde is euer in his eares, and when it is peace, yet feareth he de∣structyon: He byleueth neuer to be delyuered out of darkenesse, for the swerde is alway•• before his eyes. When he goeth forth to get his lyuynge, he seeth playenly, that the day•• of darkenesse is at hande. Sorowe and care∣fulnesse wyll make hym afrayde, and com∣passe hym counde aboute, lyke ☞ as it wer••

a kynge with his hoost redy to the battayle. For he hath stretched out his hande agaynst God, & armed hym selfe agaynst the almygh tye. He runneth proudly vpon hym, and with a styffe necke fyghteth he agaynst him: where as he couereth his face with fatnesse, and ma¦keth his body well lykynge.

Therfore shall his dwellynge be in deso∣late [unspec D] cityes, and in houses whiche no man in∣habyteth, but are become heapes of stones. He shall not be ryche, neyther shall his sub∣staunce cōtynue, nor encrease vpon earth. He shal neuer come out of darkenesse, the flame shall drye vp his braunches: with the blast of the mouth of God shall he be taken awaye. He byleueth not that he is in vanite: & yet he is out of the waye, and vanite shall be his re∣cōpence. He shall peryshe, before his tyme be worne out, & his braunch shall not be grene. He shalbe plucked of / as an vntymely grape from the vyne, and shal let his floure fall, as the olyue doth. For the congregacion of ypo∣crytes shall be desolate and vnfruytfull, and the fyre shall consume the houses of soche as are gredy to receyue gyftes. He conceyueth trauayle, and beareth vanite, and theyr body bryngeth forth dysceyte.

¶ Iob repeatynge his miserye, sayth that he suffereth more then his wyckednesse hath deserued.

CAPI. XVI.

IOb answered, and sayde: I haue ofte ty∣mes [unspec A] herde soche thynges. Myserable gy∣uers of conforte are ye, al the sorte of you. Shall not thy vayne wordes come yet to an ende? Or, hast thou yet anye more to saye? I coulde speake, as ye do also. But wold god that your soule were in my soules steade, then shulde I heape vp wordes agaynst you, and shake my heade at you. I shulde confort you with my mouth, and release your payne with the talkynge of my lyppes. ❀ (But vvhat shal I do?) For all my wordes, my sorowe wyll not [unspec B] cease: and though I hold my tongue, yet wyl it not departe fro me. But nowe that God hath sent me aduersite, thou hast troubled al my congregacyon: And that thou hast fylled me with wrynkles, my fleshe is recorde, and my leanesse ryseth vp agaynst me, and bea∣reth wytnesse agaynst me. He is angry at me: he hateth me and gnassheth vpō me with his teethe. Myne enemye scouleth vpon me with his eyes. ☞ They haue opened theyr mou∣thes wyde vpon me and smytten me vpon the cheke despytefullye, they gather them sel∣ues togyther agaynst me.

God hath put me in prease with the vn∣godly, [unspec C] & delyuered me in to the handes of the wycked. I was in welth, but he hath brought me to nought. He hath taken me by the necke he hath rent me, and set me, as a marke for hym selfe. His archers compasse me rounde aboute: he wounded my loynes, and doth not spare. My bowels hath powred vpon the grounde. He hath gyuen me one wounde vpon another, and is fallen vpon me lyke a gyaunt. I haue sewed a sacke cloth vpon my skyn, and lye with my heere in the dust.

My face is swollen with wepynge / and [unspec D] in myne eyes is the shadowe of death. How∣beit, there is no wyckednesse in my handes, but my prayer is cleane. O earth ☞ couer not thou my blood, and let my cryenge fynde no rowme. For lo, my wytnesse is in heuen: & he that knoweth me, is aboue in the heygth. My frend{is} gyue me many wordes to scorne, and myne eye powreth out teares vnto god. O that a body might pleate with god, as one mā doth with another, yet the nombre of my yeares is come, and the waye that I must go is at hande, from whence I shall not turne agayne.

¶ Iob sayth that he consumeth away, and yet dothe paciently abyde it.

CAPI. XVII.

MY breth stynketh, my dayes are shorte∣ned. [unspec A] I am harde at deathes dore. Fro∣warde men are with me, and myne eye must contynue in the bytternesse of them. O delyuer me, and loke out one to be my surely in thy syght, what is he that knoweth who wyll promyse for me? For thou hast withhol∣den theyr hertes from vnderstandynge, ther∣fore shalt thou not set (them) vp on hygh.

He promyseth his frendes parte of his [unspec B] good, but his owne Chyldren spende it. He hath made me as it were á by worde of the people: where as before I was theyr ioye. Myne eye is dymme, for very heuynesse, and all my strength is become lyke a shadowe.

Uertuous men therfore shall well consyder this, & the innocent shall take parte agaynst the ypocryte.

The ryghteous also wyll kepe his waye / [unspec C] and he that hath cleane handes, wyll euer be stronger and stronger. As for you, turne you and get you hence (I pray you) seynge I can not fynde one wyse man amonge you: My dayes are past, & my counsayles and though tes of my herte are vanysshed a waye, chaun gynge the nyght in to daye, and the lyght in to darknesse.

Though I tary neuer so moch, yet the graue [unspec D] is my house, and I haue made my bed in the darke. I call corrupcyon my father, and the

wormes call I my mother & my syster. What helpeth then my longe taryenge? Or / who hath consydered the thynge, that I loke fore All that I haue, shall go downe in to the pyt, and lye with me in the dust.

¶ Bildad rehe••seth the paynes of the vnfaythfull, and wycked.

CAPI. XVIII.

THen answered Bildad the Suhite, and sayde: ☞ when wyll ye make an ende [unspec A] of your wordes? Marke well, and then we wyll speake. Wherfore are we counted as beastes, and reputed so vyle in youre syght? He destroyeth hym selfe with his anger? Shal the earth be forsaken, or any stone remoued out of his place bycause of the? Yea the lyght of the vngodly shall be put oute? and the sparke of his fyre shall not burne.

The lyght shal be darke in his dwellyng, [unspec B] and his candle shal be put out with hym. His presumptuous goynges are kept in, and his owne coūsayle shall cast hym downe. For his feete are taken as it were in the net, and he is at his wyttes ende. His foote shall be holden in the snare, & it shall catch them that be thyr∣stye of bloode. The snare is layed for hym in the grounde, and a pytfall in the waye.

Fearfulnesse shall make hym afrayde on [unspec C] euery syde, that he shall not knowe, where to get out. Hunger shalbe his strength: mysfor∣tune shall hange vpon hym. He shall eate the strength of his owne skynne, euen the fyrste borne of death shall eate his strength. His hope shall be roted out of his dwellyng, very fearfulnesse shall bryng hym ☞ to the kyng. Other men shall dwell in his house (but shal be none of his) & brymstone shalbe scattered vpon his habytacyon.

His rotes shall be dryed vp beneth, and a∣boue [unspec D] shal his braunche be cut downe. His re∣membraūce shal peryshe from the earth, and he shall haue no name in the strete: they shall dryue him from the lyght into darkenes, and caste hym cleane out of the worlde. He shall neyther haue chyldren nor kynsfolk{is} among his people, no, nor any posterite in his dwel∣lynges: They that come after hym, shall be astonyed at his day, and they that go before, shall be aftayde. Soche are nowe the dwel∣lynges of the wycked, and this is the place of hym that knoweth not God.

¶ Iob reciteth his miseryes and grenous payned. He prophesyeth of the generall resurreceyon.

CAPI. XIX.

IOb answered, and sayde: howe longe wyl [unspec A] ye vexe my soule, & trouble me with wor∣des? Lo ☞ ten tymes haue ye reproued me: and are not a shamed, for to laugh me so to scorne: yf I go wronge, I go wronge to my selfe. But yf ye wyll enhaunce your selues a∣gaynst me, and accuse me to be a wycked per∣son bycause of the shame that is come vpon me: know this then, that it is god, which hath handled me so violently, and hath compassed me aboute with his net. Yf I complayne of the violence that is done vnto me, I can not be herde. And yf I crye, there is no sentence gyuen with me.

He hath hedged vp my waye, that I can [unspec B] not passe, & he hath set darkenesse in my pat∣thes. He hath spoyled me of myne honour / and taken the crowne awaye fro my heade. He hath destroyed me on euery syde, & I am vndone: My hope hath he taken awaye fro me, as it were a tre plucte vp by the rote. His wrath is kyndled agaynst me: he taketh me, as though I were his enemye. ☞ His men of warre came togyther, whiche made theyr waye ouer me, and beseyged my dwellynge round aboute He hath put my brethren far awaye fro me, and soche as were of myne ac∣quayntaunce, are become straūgers vnto me

Myne owne kynsfolkes haue for saken me, & my frendes haue put me out of remem∣braunce. [unspec C] The seruauntes and maydens of myne owne house toke me for a straūger: and I am become as an alyaunt in theyr syght. I called my seruaunt, and he gaue me no an∣swere, no though I prayed hym w^t my mouth Myne owne wyfe myght not abyde my breth, I was fayne to speake fayre for the chyldren of myne owne body. Yea the chyldren despy∣sed me: And when I was gone from them, they spake euyll vpon me. All soche as were my mooste familyers / abhorred me: and they whome I loued best, are turned agaynst me.

My bone hangeth to my skynne, and my [unspec D] flesshe is awaye, onely there is lefte me the skynne about my teeth. Haue pyte vpon me, haue pyte vpon me (O ye my frendes) for the hande of God hath touched me. Why do▪ ye persecute me as God doth, and are not sa∣tisfyed of my fleshe? O that my wordes were now wryten, O that they were put in a boke: wolde God they were grauen with an yron pen in leade or in stone to continue. For I am sure, that my redemer lyueth, and that I shal ryse out of the earth in the laste daye: that I shall be cloched agayne with this skyn, and se God in my flesshe. Yea, I my selfe shall be hold him, not with other, but with these same eyes. My raynes are consumed within me: dyd not ye saye: why doth he suffer persecu∣cyon? [unspec] Is theyr founde an occasyon in me?

But beware of the swerde, for the swerde wyl be auenged of wyckednesse, and be sure, that there is a iudgement.

¶ Sophar sayth that the vnfaythfull, the couptou••, and the wycked shall haue a shorte ende.

CAPI. XX.

THen answered Sophar the Naama∣thite, [unspec A] and sayde. For the same cause do my thoughtes compell me to answere. And why? my mynde is redye within me. I haue sufficyently herde thy checkynge and reprofe, therfore am I purposed to make an∣swere after myne vnderstandynge. Knowest thou not this / namely: that from the begyn∣nynge (euer synce the creacyon of man vpon earth) the gladnesse of the vngodly hath ben short, and that the ioye of ypocrites cōtynued but the twynclynge of an eye? Though he be magnifyed vp to the heuen, so that his heade teacheth vnto the cloudes: yet at a turne he peryssheth foreuer.

In so moche that they whiche haue sene [unspec B] hym, shall saye: Where is he? He shall va∣nysshe as a dreame, so that he can no more be founde, and shall passe awaye as a visyon in the nyght. So that the eye whiche sawe hym before, shall haue no more syght of hym, and his place shall knowe hym no more. ☞ His chyldren shal be fayne to agre with the pore, & his handes shal restore them theyr goodes. From his youth his bones are full of plea∣sures, but nowe shall it lye downe with hym in the earth. When wyckednesse was swete in his mouth, he hyd it vnder his tongue. That he fauoured, that wold he not forsake / but kepte it close in his throte.

The breade that he dyd eate, is turned to [unspec C] the poyson of serpentes, within his body. The ryches that he deuoured, shall he per∣brake agayne, for God shall drawe them out of his bely, he shall sucke the gall of serpen∣tes, and the adders tongue shall sley hym: so that he shall no more se the ryuers and bro∣kes of hony & butter. The thynge that other men haue laboured for, shal he restore agayn and shall not eate it vp. Great trauayle shal he make for ryches, but he shall not enioye them. And why? he hath oppressed the poore / & not helped them: houses hath he spoyled / and not buylded them. His bely coulde neuer be fylled, therfore shall he perysshe in his co∣uytousnes. Therfore shall none of his meate be lefte behynde, therfore shall no man loke for his prosperyte. When he had plenteous∣nesse of euery thyng, yet was he pore, though he was helped on euery syde.

For though the wycked haue neuer so moch [unspec D] to fyll his bely, yet god shall sende his wrath vpon hym, & cause his indignacyō to reygne ouer him: so that yf he fle the yron weapons, he shall be shot w^t the stele bowe. The arowe is taken forth, & gone out of the quyuer, & a glysterynge swerde thorow the gall of hym / feare shal come vpō him. There shal no dark¦nesse be able to hyde hym, An vnkyndled fyre shall cōsume hym, & loke what remayneth in his house, it shall be destroyed. The heuen shall declare his wyckednesse, and the earth shall take parte agaynst hym. The substaūce that he hath in his house, shalbe taken away and perysshe in the day of the lordes wrath. This is the porcyon that the wycked man shall haue of god, & the heretage that he may loke for of god, ☞ bycause of his wordes.

¶ Iob recyteth the prosperyte of the wycked, and after descrybeth theyr sodayne ruyne, and destruccyon.

CAPI. XXI.

IOb answered, and sayd: O heart my wor∣des, [unspec A] & that shalbe my cōforte of you. Suf∣fer me a lytle, that I may speake also, and then laugh my wordes to scorne ❀ (yf it lyke you.) Is it for mans sake that I make this disputacyon? Whiche yf it were so, shuld not my spirite be then in sore trouble? Marke me well, & be abasshed, & laye your hande vpon your mouth. For when I cōsyder myselfe, I am afrayde, & my fleshe is smytten with fere. Wherfore do wycked men lyue in health & prosperite, come to theyr olde age, & increase in ryches? Theyr chyldrē lyue in theyr syght, & theyr generacyon before theyr eyes. Theyr houses are safe from all feare, and the rod of god doth not smyte them. Theyr bullocke gendreth, & that not out of tyme: theyr cowe calueth, and is not vnfruytfull.

They sende forth theyr chyldren by flock{is} / and [unspec B] theyr sonnes leade the daunce. They beare with them tabrettes and harpes, and haue instrumentes of Musycke at theyr plea¦sure. They spende theyr dayes in welthynes: but sodenly they go downe to hell. They saye also vnto god: go from vs, we desyre not the knowledge of thy wayes. Who is the al∣myghtye / that we shulde serue hym? And what profet shulde we haue to submyt oure¦selues vnto him? Lo, there is vtterly no good¦nesse in them / therfore wyll not I haue to do with the counsayle of the vngodlye. Howe ofte shal the candle of the wicked be put out? howe ofte commeth theyr destruccyon vpon them? O what sorowe shall God gyue them for theyr parte in his wrath? Yea they shall be euen as haye before the wynde, & as chaffe that the storme caryeth awaye.

And though god saue theyr chyldren from [unspec C] soche sorow, yet wyll he so rewarde them sel∣ues, that they shal knowe it. Theyr owne de∣struccion and misery shall they se with theyr eyes, and drynke of the fearfull wrath of the almyghtye. For what careth he what become of his housholde after his deathe, when the nombre of his monethes is cut shorte? In as moch then as god hath the hyghest power of al, who can teache hym any knowledge? One dyeth now when he is myghtye & at his best / rych, and in prosperyte: euen whē his bowels are at the fattest, and his bones full of mary Another dyeth in sorowe and heuynesse, and neuer had good dayes. They shall slepe both alyke in the earth, & the wormes shall couer them. Beholde, I know what ye thynke, y ca, & the subtyltye that ye ymagyn agaynst me.

For ye saye: ☞ where is the prynces pa∣lace? [unspec D] and where is the dwellynge of the vn∣godly: haue ye not asked them that go by the waye? ☞ Doutlesse ye can not denye theyr tokens, that the wycked is kepte vnto the daye of destruccyon, and that the vngodly shall be brought forth to the daye of wrath.

Who dare reproue hym for his way to his face? who wyll rewarde him for the vngraci∣ousnesse that he doth? Yet shall he be brought to his graue, and dwell amonge the heape of the dead. Then shal he be fayne to be buryed among the stones of the playne. All men also must folow hym, and there are innumerable gone before hym. Howe vayne then is the cō∣forte that ye gyue me? Doth not falseheed re∣mayne in all your answers.

¶ Eliphas reprehendeth Iob of vnmercyfulnesse.

CAPI. XXII.

SO Eliphas the Themanite gaue answer [unspec A] and sayd: Maye a man be profytable vn∣to god, as he that is wyse maye be profy∣table to hymselfe? Is it any vauntage to the almyghtye that thou art ryghteous? Or shal it profyte hym, that thou makest thy wayes perfyte? Is he afrayde to reproue the, and to step forth with the in to iudgement? Is not thy wyckednesse greate, & thyne vngracious dedes innumerable? For thou hast taken the pledge frō thy brother for nought, & robbed the naked of theyr clothyng: To soch as were werye, hast thou gyuen no water to drynke, & haste withdrawen breade from the hungrye.

Shulde soch one then as vseth violence / wrong [unspec B] & oppression (doyng all thyng of par∣cialyte, and hauynge respecte of personnes) dwell in the lande? Thou hast sent wydowes away emptye & oppressed the pore fatherlesse Therfore arte thou compassed aboute with snares on euery syde, & sodeynlye vexed with feare. Shuldest thou then se no darkenesse? Shulde not the water floode run ouer the? Nowe bycause that god is hygher then the heuens, and bycause thou seyst that the ster∣res are so hygh, wylte thou therfore saye: Tusshe / howe shulde god knowe? Doth his dominion reache vpon the cloudes? Tushe / the cloudes couer hym that he maye not se / and he dwelleth aboue heuen.

Doest not thou kepe the olde waye, that [unspec C] vayne men haue gone? Whiche were cut downe out of tyme, and whose foundacyon was as a runnynge water, which sayde vnto God: go from vs, and what dyd the almygh∣tye with them? He fylled theyr houses with good thynges. But the counsayle of the vn∣godlye is far from me. The ryghteous ••awe it and were glad, and the innocent laughed them to scorne. Is our increase hewen downe As for the remenaunt of them, the fyre hath consumed it. Therfore recōcyle the vnto god, and be content, so shall all thynges prospere with the ryght well.

Reccyue the lawe at his mouth, and laye [unspec D] vp his wordes in thyne herte. For yf thou wylt turne to the almyghty, thou shalt stand fast, and put all vnryghteousnesse from thy dwellynge: Thou shalt make golde as plen∣tyfull as the dust, and the golde of Ophit as the flyntes of the ryuers. Yea, almyghty god his owne selfe shall be thy defence, and thou shalt haue plentye of syluer. Then shalt thou haue delyte in the almyghtye, & lyfte vp thy face vnto God. Then shalte thou make thy prayer vnto hym, and he shall heare the, and thou shalte kepe thy promyses. Then, loke what thou takest in hande, he shall make it to prospere with the, and the lyght shall shyne in thy wayes. For who so humbleth hym¦selfe, hym shall be set vp: and who so loketh mekely, shall be healed. Yf thou be innocent / thou shalte delyuer the countrey: bycause of the vngyltynesse of thyne handes.

¶ Iob affirmeth that he bothe knoweth and feareth the power and sentaunce of the Iudge, and so••eth that he hath wa••hed in his ryghteousnesse.

CAPI. XXIII.

IOb answered, and sayde: My sayenge is [unspec A] yet this daye in bytternesse, and my hande heuy bycause of my gronynge. O that I myght se hym & fynde hym: O that I myght come before his seate, to pleade my cause be∣fore hym, and to fyll my mouth with argu∣mentes. That I myght knowe / what ans∣were he wolde gyue me: and that I myght vnderstande / what he wolde saye vnto me.

Wyll he pleade agaynst me with his greate [unspec B] power and strength? No, but he wyll make me the stronger. He that is iuste / shall entre dysputacyon with hym / and my iudge shall delyuer me foreuer.

Beholde, though I go before, I fynde hym: Yf I come behynde, I can get no know¦ledge of hym: Yf I go on the lefte syde where he doth his worke / I cannot atteyne vnto hym. Agayne, yf I go on the ryght syde, he hydeth hymselfe, that I cannot se hym. But as for my waye / he knoweth it: and tryeth me as the golde in the fyre.

☞ My fote doth kepe his path, his hygh [unspec C] waye haue I bolden, and wyll not go out of it. I wyll not forsake the cōmaundement of his lypp{is}, but loke what he charged me with his mouth, that haue I shut vp in my herte. ☞ He is styll at one poynt, & who wyll turne hym backe? He doth as hym lysteth, & bryn∣geth to passe what he wyll. He perfourmeth the thynge that is appoynted for me / and ma¦ny soche thynges doth he.

This is the cause that I schrynke at his [unspec D] presence, so that when I consydre hym, I am afrayde of hym. For in so moch as he is god, he maketh my herte softe: and seynge that he is almyghtye / he putteth me in feare. Thus cannot I get out of darkenesse neyther hath he couered the cloude fro my face.

¶ Iob descrybeth the wyckednesse of men, and sheweth what curse belongeth to the wycked.

CAPI. XXIIII.

COnsideryng then that there is no tyme [unspec A] hyd from the almyghtye, howe happe∣neth it, that they which knowe hym / do not regarde his dayes? For some men there be, that remoue other mens landmarkes: that robbe them of theyr cattell, and kepe the same for theyr owne: that dryue awaye the Asse of the fatherlesse: that take the wydowes oxe for a pledge: that thruste the poore out of the waye, & oppresse the symple of the worlde togyther. Beholde, euen as the wylde Asses in the deserte go they forth to theyr worke / and ryse by tymes to spoyle: Yea, the verye wyldernes minystreth fode for theyr chyldrē.

They reape the corne felde that is not theyr [unspec B] owne: and ☞ let the vyneyearde of the vn∣godly alone. They are the cause that so ma∣ny men are naked and bare, hauynge no clo∣thes to couer them and to kepe them from colde: So that when the showers in the moūtaynes haue rayned vpon them / and they be all wette, they haue none other succoure, but to kepe them amonge the rockes. They spoyle the suckynge fatherlesse chylde, & take the pledge from the poore. In so moch that they let him go naked without clothyng and haue taken awaye the sheafe of the hun∣grye. The poore are fayne to labour in theyr oyle mylles, yea, and to treade in theyr wyne presses, & yet to suffer thyrst. The men of the citye cryeth vnto the Lorde with syghynge: The soules of the sleyne also make theyr complaynte: But God destroyeth them not for al this, where as they (notwithstandyng) are conuersaunt amonge them that abhorre the lyght: they knowe not his waye / nor con∣tynue in his pathes.

Tymely in the mornyng do they aryse / [unspec C] to murther the symple and poore, and in the nyght they go a stealynge. The eye of the aduouterer wayteth for the darkenesse / and sayeth thus in hymselfe: Tusshe, there shall no eye se me / and so he dysgyseth his face. In the nyght ceason they search the houses / and hyde themselues in the daye tyme / but wyll not knowe the lyght. For as soone as the daye breaketh, the shadowe of death com¦meth vpon them, & they go in horryble dark∣nesse. The vngodly is swyfter then the wa∣ter: theyr porcion shall be cursed in the earth, and he shall not behold the waye of the vyne yerde. O that they (for the wyckednes which they haue done) were drawen to the hell / so∣ner then snow melteth at the drought & heate. [unspec D]

O that all compassyon vpon them were forgotten: that theyr dayntyes were wormes, that they were cleane put out of remēbraūce / and vngodlynesse vtterly hewen downe lyke as a tree. He hath oppressed the bareyne, that she cannot beare, and vnto the wydowe hath he done no good. He drue the myghtye after hym with his power, and when he was got∣ten vp / no man was without feare / as longe as he lyueth. And though they might be safe yet they wyl not receyue it, for theyr eyes loke vpon theyr owne wayes. They are exalted for a lytle, but shortly are they gone, brought to extreme pouerte, & taken out of the waye: yea, & vtterly pluckte of, as the eares of corne Is it not so? Who wyll then reproue me as a lyer, and saye that my wordes are nothynge worth?

¶ Bildad proueth that no man is cleane, and without synne before god.

CAPI. XXV.

THen answered Byldad the Suhite, and [unspec A] sayde. Is there power and feare with hym aboue, that maketh peace, syttyng in his hyghnesse, whose men of warre are in∣numerable, and whose lyght aryseth oueral.

But howe maye a man compared vnto

God, be iustified? Or how can he be cleane / that is borne of a womā? Behold, the moone shyneth nothyng in comparison to hym, and the sterres are vncleane in his syght. Howe moch more then man, that is but corrupcyō: and the sonne of man, which is but a worme?

¶ Iob sheweth that man cannot helpe god / and proueth it by his miracles.

CAPI. XXVI.

IOb answered, and sayd. Whom hast thou [unspec A] helped? Hym that is without strength?

What comforte gyuest thou vnto hym that hath no strength? Where is the coun∣sayle that thou shuldest gyue hym, whiche hath no wysdome? Hast thou shewed the way of ryght lyuynge. To whome hast thou spo∣ken those wordes? Who made the breth to come out of thy mouth? ☞ Are not deade thynges shapen vnder the waters? and thyn¦ges by the water syde? Hell is naked before him, and the very destruccyon itselfe cannot be hyd out of his syght. He stretcheth out the north ouer the emptye, and hāgeth the earth vpon nothynge.

He byndeth the waters in his cloudes / and the cloude is not broken vnder them. He [unspec B] holdeth backe his stole, that it cannot be seue and spreadeth his cloude before it. He hath compassed the waters with certayne bound{is} vntyll the daye and nyght come to an ende. The very pyllers of heuen tremble & quake at his reprofe. He stylleth the see with his power, and thorowe his wysdome smyteth he the strength therof. His spiryte hath garnys∣shed the heuens, & his hande hath made the rebellyous serpent. Lo, this is nowe a shorte sūme of his wayes. But who is able sufficy∣ently to rehearse his workes? Who can per∣ceyue & vnderstand the thondre of his power?

¶ The constantnesse and perfytenesse of Iob, and the parte of the vnfaythfull with God.

CAPI. XXVII.

ANd Iob proceded and went forth in his [unspec A] communicacyon, sayenge: As truly as God lyueth (whiche hath taken awaye ☞ my iudgement) and the almyghtye, that hath vexed my mynde: My lyppes shal talke of no vanite, and my tongue shall speake no disceate, whyle my breth is in me, & as longe as the wynde (that God hath gyuen me) is in my nose thyrls, God forbyd, that I shulde graunt your cause to be ryght. As for me / vntyll myne ende come wyll I neuer go fro myne innocency.

My ryghtwyse dealynge kepe I fast, which [unspec B] I wyl not forsake, my herte shall not reproue me of my dayes. Therfore, myne enemy shal be found as the vngodly, and he that taketh parte agaynst me, as the vnryghteous. For what hope hath the ypocryte though he haue greate good, and though God gyue hym ry∣ches after his hertes desyre? Doth god heare hym the sooner, when he cryeth vnto hym in his necessite? Hath he soche pleasure & delyte in the almyghtye, that he dare alway cal vpō god? I wyll teache you in the name of God / and the thynge that I haue of the almygh∣tye, wyll I not kepe from you.

Beholde, ye stand in your owne conceyte, [unspec C] as though ye knewe all thynges. Wherfore then do ye go aboute with soch vayne word{is}, sayenge. This is the porcyon that the wyc∣ked shall haue of god, and the herytage that Tyrauntes shall receyue of the almyghtye. Yf he get many Chyldren, they shall perysshe with the swerde, and his posteryte shall haue scarcenesse of bread. Loke whome he leaueth behynde hym, they shall dye & be buryed, and no man shall haue pitye of his wydowes. Though he haue as moch money as the dust of the earth, and rayment as redy as the clay he maye well prepare it, but the Godly shall put it vpon hym, and the innocent shall deale out the money.

His house shall endure as the moth, and [unspec D] as a boothe that the watchman maketh. When the rych man dyeth, he caryeth no∣thynge with hym: he is gone in the twynke∣lynge of an eye and hath nothyng. Destruc∣cyon taketh hold vpō him as a water floode / and the tempest stealeth hym awaye in the nyght season. A vehement East wynde ca∣ryeth hym hence, & departeth, a storme pluc∣keth him out of his place. It russheth in vpō hym, and spareth hym not, he may not escape from the power therof. Then clap men theyr handes at hym, yea, & iest of hym when they loke vpon his place.

¶ Iob sheweth that the wysdon of god is vnsearchable.

CAPI. XXVIII.

THere is a place where syluer is brought [unspec A] out of, & where golde is tryed: where yron is dygged out of the grounde, and stones resolued to metall. The darkenesse shal once come to an ende, he can seke out the grounde of al thynges: the stones the darke, and the shadowe of death.

With the ryuer of water, parteth he a sunder the straunge people, that knowe no good neyghbourheade: soch as are rude, vn∣manerly, & boystous. He bryngeth foode out of the earth, & that which is vnder, cōsumeth he with fyre. There is founde a place, whose stones are cleane Saphirs, and where the

clottes of the earth are gold. There is a way also that the byrdes knowe not, that no vul∣tours eye hath sene: wherin the lyons whel∣pes walke not, and where no lyon cōmeth. There putteth he his hande vpon the stony [unspec B] rockes, & ouerthroweth the moūtaynes. Ry∣uers flowe out of the rockes, & loke what is pleasaunt, his eye seyth it. Out of droppes bryngeth he great floodes togyther, and the thyng that is hyd bryngeth he to lyght. How cōmeth a man then by wysdome? Where is the place that men fynde vnderstandynge? Herely no man can tel howe worthy a thyng she is, neyther is she founde in the lande of them that lyue ❀, (at theyr ovvne pleasure). The depe sayeth▪ she is not with me. The see sayeth: she is not with me. She cannot be gotten for ❀ (the moost pure) golde, neyther may the pryce of her be bought with any syl∣uer. No wedges of golde of Ophir, no preci∣ous Onix stones, no Saphirs maye be com∣pared vnto her. No, neyther golde nor Chry∣stall, neyther swete odours nor golden plate. There is nothyng so worthy, or so excellent / as once to be named vnto her: for perfyte wys¦dome goeth far beyonde them all. The To∣pas that commeth out of Inde, maye in no wyse be lykened vnto her: yea, no maner of apparel howe pleasaunt & fayre soeuer it be.

From whence then cōmeth wysdome? and [unspec D] where is the place of vnderstandynge? She is hyd from the eyes of all men lyuyng, yea / and from the foules of the ayre. Destruccion and death say: we haue herde tell of her with our eares. But god seeth her waye, & know∣eth her place. For he beholdeth the endes of the worlde, & loketh vpon all that is vnder heuen. When he weyed the wyndes, & measu∣red the waters: whē he set the rayne in ordre / & gaue the myghtye floodes a lowe? Then dyd he se her, then declared he her, prepared her & knewe her. And vnto man he sayd: Be∣holde, to feare the lorde, is wysdome: and to forsake euyll, is vnderstandynge.

¶ Iob complayneth of the prosperyte of the tyme past, sub∣tyllye reyrouynge his frendes of iniurye, bycause they sayde that Iob suffered accordynge to his destruynge.

CAPI. XXIX.

SO Iob proceded, & went forth in his cō∣municacyon, [unspec A] saynge: O that I were as I was in the monethes by paste, & in the dayes when god preserued me, when his lyght shy∣ned vpō my head, when I went after the same lyght & shynynge, euen thorow the darknes. As it stode with me, when I was yong: when God prospered my house: when the almygh∣tye was yet with me: when my chyldren stode aboute me: when my wayes ran ouer with butter, and when the stony rockes gaue me [unspec B] ryuers of oyle: when I went thorowe the ci∣tye vnto the gate, & when they set me a chayre in the strete: when the yonge men (as soone as they sawe me) hyd themselues, and when the aged arose, and stode vp vnto me: when the prynces lefte of theyr talkynge, and layde theyr haude to theyr mouth: when the mygh∣tye kepte styll theyr voyce, and when theyr tongue cleued to the rofe of theyr mouth. When all they that herde me, called me hap∣pye: and when all they that sawe me, spake good of me. For I delyuered the poore when he cryed, and so dyd I the fatherlesse, & hym that had none to helpe hym.

He that shulde haue ben loste, gaue me a [unspec C] good worde, and the wydowes herte praysed me. And why? ☞ I put vpon my ryghteous∣nesse, whiche couered me as a garment, and equite was my crowne. I was an eye vnto the blynde, and a foote to the lame, I was a father vnto the poore: and when I knew not the cause, I sought it out diligently. I brake the chawes of the vnryghteous man, and pluckte the spoyle out of his teeth. Therfore, I thought verely, that I shulde haue dyed in my nest: & that my dayes shulde haue ben as many as the sandes of the see.

For my roote was spred out by the water [unspec D] syde, and the dewe lay vpon my corne. Myne honoure encreased more and more, and my bowe was euer the stronger in my hand. Un∣to me men gaue eare, me they regarded, and with sylence they taryed for my counsay••••. Yf I had spoken, they wolde haue it none other wyse, my wordes were so well taken among them. They wayted for me as for the rayne: and gaped vpon me, as the grounde doth to receyue the latter shower, ☞ when I laugh∣ed, they knewe well it was not earnest, and this the lyght of my coūtenaunce wolde they not put out. When I agreed vnto theyr way I was the cheyfe, and sat as a Kynge with his armye aboute hym. And when they were in heuynesse, I was theyr comfortoure.

¶ The▪ great dispysynge of men and curse of God that Iob suffereth.

CAPI. XXX.

BUt nowe they that are yonger then I / haue [unspec A] me in decisiō: yea, euen they whose fathers I wolde haue thought scorne to haue set with the dogges of my cattell. The power & strength of theyr handes myght ••o me no good: for the tyme is but lost amonge them. For very miserye and hunger, they fled into the wyldernesse, a place darke, horrible

and waste, pluckynge vp netles amonge the busshes, & the Ieniper rootes for theyr meate And when they were dryuen forth, men cryed after them, as it had ben after a thefe. Theyr dwellyng was besyde foule brokes, yea in the caues and dennes of the earth.

Amonge the busshes wente they aboute [unspec B] cryeng, and vnder the thornes they gathered themselues togyther. They were the chyldrē of fooles and vylaynes, which are vexed out of the worlde. Now am I theyr songe, & am become theyr iestyng stocke: they abhorre me, and flee farre fro me, and stayne my face with spetle. For the Lorde hath loosed the strength of my body, & brought me lowe. The brydle haue they cast oute of my syghte. Upon my ryght hande ryse the yonge men agaynst me they haue hurte my feete, treadyng vpon me as vpon the wayes that they wolde destroye. My pathes haue they cleane marred. It was so easy for them to do me harme, that they ne¦ded no man to helpe them.

They fel vpon me, as it had bene the br•••• [unspec C] kynge in of waters, & came in by heapes to destroye me. Fearfulnesse is turned agaynst me. Myne honoure vanysshed awaye more swyftly then the wynde, and my prosperite ••e parteth hence, lyke as it were a cloude. Ther∣fore is my mynde powred full of heuynesse, & the dayes of my trouble haue taken holde vpon me. My bones are pearced thorowe, in the myght season, & my synowes take no rest. For the vehe••ence of sorowe is my garment chaunged: and accordynge to the diuersite of heuynes am I gyrded with my cote. He hath cast me in to the myre, and I am become lyke asshes and dust. When I crye vnto the, thou doest not heare me, and though I stande be∣fore the, yet thou regardest me not. Thou art become myne enemye, and with thy vyolent hande thou takest parte agaynst me. In ty∣mes past thou dydest set me vp on hyghe, as it were aboue the wynde, but nowe hast thou gyuen me a very sore fall.

Sure I am, that thou wylte delyuer me [unspec D] vnto death ❀ euen to the lodyng that is due vnto all men lyuynge. Nowe vse not men to do vyolence vnto them, that are destroyed al¦redy: but where hurte is done, there vse they to helpe. Dyd not I wepe with hym that was in trouble? Had not my soule cōpassion vpon the poore▪ Yet neuerthelesse, where as I lo∣ked for good, euyll happened vnto me: and where as I wayted for lyght, there came dar¦kenes. My bowels sethe within me, and take no rest, for the dayes of my trouble are come vpon me. Mekely and lowly come I in, Yea and without any dyspleasure: I stode vp in the congregacyon, and comuned with them. But nowe, I am a companyon of dragons▪ and a felowe of Estriches. My skynne vpon me is turned to blacke, & my bones are burnt with heate: my harpe is turned to sorow, and my pype to wepynge.

¶ Iob reciteth the innocen•••••• of his lyuynge, and nombre i•• his ••••rt••es.

CAPI. XXXI.

I ☞ made a couenaunt with myne eyes / [unspec A] that I wolde not loke vpon a damsell. For howe great a porcyon shall I haue of god? & what enheritaunce from the almygh∣tye on hygh? As for the vngodly and he that ioyneth hymselfe to the company of wycked doers, shal not destruccyon and misery come vpon hym? Doth not he se my wayes, and tel all my goynges? If I haue walked in va∣nite, or yf my feete haue runne to deceyue•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me be weyed in an euen balaunce, that God maye se myne innosencye. If so be that I haue withdrawen my foote out of the ryghte way, and yf my herte hath folowed myne eye syght? If I haue stayned or defyled my han∣des? then shall I sowe, and an other eate, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my generacion and posterite shall be cleane roted out. If myne hert hath lusted after my neyghbours wyse, or yf I haue layde wayte at his dore? O then ❀ let my wyfe grynde vn¦to to another man, and let other men lye with her. For this is a wyckednesse & synne, that is worthy to be punysshed, yea a tyre that vt∣terly shulde consume, and rote oute all my substaunce.

Dyd I euer thynke scorne to do ryghte [unspec B] vnto my seruaūtes and maydens, when they had any matter agaynst me? But seyng that God wyll syt in iudgement, what shall I do▪ And for so moche as he wyll nedes vysyte me what answere shall I gyue hym? He that fa∣ssyoned me in my mothers wombe, made he not hym also? Were we not bothe shapen a lyke in oure mothers bodyes? When the poore desyred anythynge at me, haue I de∣nyed it them? Haue I caused the wydowe to stande waytynge for me in vayne? Haue I eaten my porcyon alone, that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me? for mercy grewe vp with me fro my youth, and compassyon fro my mothers wombe. Haue I sene any man perysshe thorowe nakednesse and want of clothynge? Or any poore man for lacke of raymente, whose sydes thanked me not, bycause he was warmed with the wolle of my shepe▪

Dyd I euer lyfte vp my hande to hurte [unspec C]

the fatherlesse? yea in the gate where I sawe myselfe to be in auctorite: thē let myne arme fal fro my shoulder, and myne arme holes be broken from the ioyntes. For I haue euer feared the vengeaunce and punysshment of God, and knewe very well, that I was not able to beare his burden. Haue I put my trust in golde? Or haue I sayd to the fynest golde of all: thou arte my confidence? Haue I reioy¦sed bycause my power was greate, & bycause my hande gat so moche? Dyd I euer great∣ly regarde the rysynge of the sonne? or had I the goynge downe of the moone in great re∣putacyon? Hath myne herte medled pryuely with any deceyte? Or, dyd I euer kysse myne owne hande? that were a wyckednesse worthy to be punysshed, for then shulde I haue de∣nyed the God that is aboue. Haue I euer reioysed at the hurte of myne enemy? Or was I euer glad, that any harme happened vnto hym? Oh no, I neuer suffered my mouth to do suche a synne, as to wysshe hym euyll.

Dyd not the men of myne owne houshold [unspec D] say: Who shall let vs to haue our belly ful of his flesshe? I haue not suffered a straunger to lye without, but I opened my dores vnto hym, that went by the waye. Haue I kepte se∣crete my synne, and hyd myne iniquite, as Adam dyd? Haue I feared any great multi∣tude of people: or yf I had bene despised of the symple, O thē shuld I haue bene afrayde

Thus haue I quyetly spente my lyfe, & not gone out at the dore. O that I had one which wolde heare me. Lo, this is my cause. In the whiche the almyghtye shall answere for me: though he that is my contrary partye, hath wrytten a boke agaynste me. Yet ☞ wyll I take hym vpon my shoulder, & as a garland aboute my heade. I wyll tell hym, the nom∣bre of my geynges, and go vnto hym as to a prynce. But yf case be that my ☞ lande crye agaynst me, or that the forowes therof make any complaynte: yf I haue eaten the fruytes therof vnpayde for, yea yf I haue greued any of the plowinē: then let thystles grow in stede of my wheate, and cockle for my barley.

¶ Here endeth the wordes of Iob.

¶ Elihu after the other had fynysshed theyr cōmunicacyon, reproueth them of folyshnesse. Age maheth not a man wyse, but the spiryte of god.

CAPI. XXXII.

SO these thre men wolde stryue no more [unspec A] with Iob, bycause he helde hymselfe a ryghteous man. But Elihu the sonne of Barachel the Bussyte of the kynred of Ram, was very sore dyspleased at Iob, bycause he called hymselfe iust before God. And with Iobs thre frend{is} he was angry also, bycause they had founde no reasonable answere to ouercome Iob. Nowe taryed Elihu, tyll they had ended theyr cōmunicacion with Iob, for why, they were elder then he.

So when Elihu the sonne of Barachel the [unspec B] Bussite sawe, that these. iii. men were not able to make Iob answere, he was myscontente: Elihu the son of Barachel the Bussite gaue answere hymselfe, and sayd: Consyderyng that I am yong, and ye be men of age, I was afrayde, and durst not shew forth my mynd, for I thought thus within myselfe: It beco∣meth olde men to speake, & the aged to teache wysdom. Euery man (no doute) hath a mynde but it is the inspiracion of the almyghtye that gyueth vnderstandynge. Great men are not alway wyse, neyther doth euery aged mā vnderstande the thyng that is lawful. Ther∣fore wyll I speake also (heare me) and I wyl shewe you also myne vnderstandynge. [unspec C]

For when I had wayted tyll ye made an ende of your talkynge, & herde your wysdom what argumentes ye made in your cōmuni∣cacyon: yea, when I had diligently pondred what ye sayde, I founde not one of you that made any good argument agaynst Iob, or that directely coulde make answere vnto his wordes: leest ye shulde say. We haue founde out wysdome: God shal cast hym downe, and no man.

He hath not spoken vnto me, and I wyl not answere hym as ye haue done (for they were so abasshed, that they coulde not make answere, nor speake one worde,) but in so moche as ye wyll not speake, standynge styl lyke dombe men, and makynge no answere: I haue a good hope for my parte to shape hym an answere, and to shewe hym my mea∣nynge. For I am full of wordes, and the spi∣rite [unspec D] that is within me, compelleth me.

Beholde, my belly is as the wyne, whiche hath no vente, and brasteth the newe vessels in sunder. Therfore wyl I speake that I may haue a vente: I wyll open my lyppes, and make answere. I wyll regarde no maner of persone, no mā wyl I spare. For yf I wolde go aboute to please men, I knowe not howe soone my maker wolde take me awaye.

¶ Elihu sheweth wherin Iob offendeth: with god may we not stryue, no•• curyous••ye searche out his workes.

CAPI. XXXIII.

WHerfore heare my wordes (O Iob) and [unspec A] herken vnto me all that I wyll saye. Beholde, I haue nowe opened my mouthe, my tongue hathe spoken in my throte. My

herte doth ordre my wordes aryght, and my lyppes talke of pure wysdome. The spirite of God hath made me, and the breth of the almyghtye hath gyuen me my lyfe. If thou canst, then gyue me answere: prepare thy self to stande before me face to face. Beholde, be∣fore God am I euen as thou, for I am fassio∣ned and made, euen of the same moulde.

Therfore, thou nedest not to be afrayde of me, neyther nedest thou to feare, that my auc∣torite shall be to heuy for the.

Nowe hast thou spoken in myne eares, & [unspec B] I haue herde the voyce of thy wordes: I am cleane without any faute, I am innocente, & there is no wyckednes in me. But lo, he hath pycked a quarell agaynst me, and taketh me for his enemy: he hath put my foote in the stockes, & loketh narowly vnto al my pathes Beholde, in this hast thou not done ryght. I wyll make answere vnto the, that God is more then man. And why doest y^u then stryue agaynste hym: For he shall not gyue the ac∣comptes of all his wordes. For when God doth once cōmaund a thyng, there shulde no mā be curyous to search whyther it be ryght.

In dreames and visions of the nyghte (when stombrynge cometh vpon men, that they fall aslepe in theyr beddes) he roundeth them in the eares, he enfourmeth them, and [unspec C] sheweth them playnely, that it is he, whiche draweth man from euyll, delyuereth hym frō pryde, kepeth hym from the graue, & his lyfe from the swerde. He chasteneth hym w^t sicke∣nesse, and bryngeth hym to his bed: he sayeth sore punyshment vpon his bones, so that his lyfe may away with no breade, and his soule abhorreth to eate any dayntye meate: In so moche that his body is cleane consumed a∣way and his bones appeare no more. His life draweth on to the graue, & his lyfe to death.

Nowe yf there be a messenger (one among a thousand) sent for to speake vnto man, and to shewe hym the ryght waye: then the Lorde is mercyfull vnto hym, and sayeth: He shall be delyuered, that he fall not downe to the graue, for I am sufficiently reconcyled. Then shall his flesshe be as well lykynge as it was before, and shall be as it was in his youth. For yf he submyt hymselfe vnto god, he shal [unspec D] be gracious vnto hym, and shewe hym his countenaunce ioyfully, and rewardeth man for his ryghteousnes. Suche a respecte hath he vnto men. Therfore, let a man confesse, (and saye) I haue offended: I dyd vnryghte∣ously, and it hath done me no good. Yea, he hath delyuered my soule from destruccyon, and my lyfe shall se the lyght.

Lo, thus worketh god alwaye with man, that he kepeth his soule from perysshynge, and letteth hym enioy the light of the lyuyng Marke well (O Iob) and heare me: holde the styll, and I wyll speake. But yf thou hast anythyng to say, then answere me, & speake, for thyne answere pleaseth me. If thou hast nothynge, then heare me, & holde thy tongue, so shall I teache the wysdome.

¶ Elihu prayseth the Iustice of god, whiche iudgeth the worl••e, and gouerneth all.

CAPI. XXXIIII.

ELihu proceadynge forth in his answere, [unspec A] sayd: Heare my wordes (O ye wyse men) herken vnto me, ye that haue vnderstan¦dynge. For the eare proueth and discerneth the wordes, and the mouth tasteth the mea¦tes: As for iudgemente, let vs seke it out a∣monge ourselues, that we may knowe what is good. And why? Iob hath sayde: I am righteous, but God doth me wronge. I must nedes be a lyer, though my cause be ryght, & violently I am plaged where as I made no faute: Where is there suche a one as Iob, that ☞ drynketh vp scornefulnesse lyke wa∣ter? whiche goeth in the companye of wycked doers, and walketh with vngodly men? For he hath sayd: Though a man be good, yet is he nought before God. Therfore hecken vn∣to me ye that haue vnderstandynge.

Farre be it from god, that he shulde medle [unspec B] with wyckednesse? and farre be it from the al∣myghtye, that he shulde medle with vnrygh∣teous dealynge: For he shall rewarde the workes of man, and cause euery mā to fynde accordynge to his wayes. For sure it is, that God condemneth no man wrongfully, and the iudgement of the almyghtye is not vn∣ryghteous. Who ruleth the earthe in his steade? Or, whom hath he set to gouerne the hole worlde? To whome hath he gyuen his herte, for to drawe his spirite and breth vnto hym? All flesshe shall come togyther vnto nought, and all men shall turne agayne vn∣to dust.

If thou nowe haue vnderstandynge heare what I saye, and herken to the boyce of my wordes. Maye he be a ruler, that lo∣ueth no ryght? Or maye he that is a very in∣nocent man, do vngodly? Is it reason, that thou shuldest saye to the kynge.

Thou arte wycked, or, thou arte vngod∣lye, [unspec C] and that before the prynces? He hath no respecte vnto the persones of the lordlye, & regardeth not the ryche more then the poore. For they be all the worke of his handes. In the twynkelynge of an eye shall they dye:

and at mydnyght, when the people and the ty¦rauntes rage, then shall they perysshe, and be taken away without handes. And why? his eyes loke vpon the wayes of mā, and he seeth all his goynges. There is no darknesse, nor shadowe of death, that can hyde the wycked doers from hym. For no man shall be suffred to go in to iudgement with God. Many one, yea innumerable doth he punysshe, and set∣teth other in theyr steades. Therfore shall he declare theyr workes, he shal turne the nyght and they shall be destroyed. They that were in the steade of Scars, delte lyke vngodlye men: and therfore he punyshed them, bycause they turned backe from hym, and wolde not consydre al his wayes. In so moche that they haue caused the voyce of the poore to come vnto hym, & nowe he heateth the complaynte of suche as are in trouble.

If he graunt pardon, who wyl condemne? [unspec D] And yf he hyde away his countenaunce, who shalbe able to se it? Whyther it be to the peple or to any man, thus wyl he do: for the vngod∣lynesse of the people, doth god make an ypo∣crite to reygne ouer them. For so moche then as I haue begon to talke of God, I wyll not hyndre the.

If I haue gone amysse, enfourme thou me yf I haue done wrong, I wyll leaue of. Can he do nothynge without the? for thou hast re∣proued his iudgement. Thou also hast thyne owne mynde and not I. But speake on what thou knowest. Let men of vnderstandyng tel me, and let a wyse man herken vnto me. As for Iob, he hath neyther spoken to the pur∣pose nor wisely. O father, let Iob be wel tryed bycause he hath answered for wycked men: yea aboue his synne he doth wyckedly: trium¦pheth among vs, and multiplieth his wordes agaynst god.

¶ Neyther dothe godlynesse profyte, nor vngodlynesse hurte to god, but to man.

CAPI. XXXV.

ELihu spake moreouer, and sayd: Thyn∣kest [unspec A] thou it ryght, that thou sayest: I am ryghteous before god? For thou sayest: What aduauntage wyll it be vnto the, and what profyte shalte thou haue of my synne. Therfore wyll I gyue answere vnto the and to thy companyons with the: loke vnto the heuen, and beholde it: consydre the cloudes, whiche are hygher then thou.

If thou hast synned, what hast thou done [unspec B] agaynst hym? If thyne offences be many, what hast thou done vnto hym? If thou be ryghteous, what gyuest thou hym? Or what wyll he receyue of thy hande? Of suche an vn¦godly persone as thou, and of the son of man that is ryghteous as thou pretendest to be: there is a greate crye and complaynte made by them that are oppressed with violence, yea euery man complayneth vpon the crueltye of tyrauntes. For such a one neuer sayth: where is god that made me? and that gyueth vs oc∣casyon to prayse hym in the nyght? whiche gy¦ueth vs more vnderstandynge then he doth the beast{is} of the earth, and teacheth vs more then he doth the foules of heuen.

If any suche complayne, no man gyueth [unspec C] answere, and that bycause of the wyckednes of proude tyrauntes. But yf a man call vpon God, doth he not heare hym? Dothe not the almyghty accepte his crye? When thou spea¦kest, then shulde not he pardon the, yf thou open thy selfe before hym, and put thy truste in hym? Then vseth he no violence in his wrath, neyther hath he pleasure in curious & depe inquisicions. Therfore doth Iob open his mouth but in vayne, and folysshly doth he make so many wordes.

¶ Elihu sheweth wherfore god punysheth, and cor••••••teth.

CAPI XXXVI.

ELihu proceded forth in his talkyng, and [unspec A] sayd: Holde the styll a lytell, and I shall shewe the, what I haue yet to speake on Gods behalfe. I wyl open vnto the yet more of myne vnderstandyng, and proue my mat∣ter ryghteous. And truely my wordes shall not be vayne, seynge he is with the that is perfyte in knowledge: beholde, the great god casteth awaye no man, for he hym selfe is myghtye in power and wysdome. As for the vngodly, he shall not preserue hym, but shal helpe the poore to theyr ryght. He shall turne his eyes awaye from the ryghteous, but as kynges shall they be in theyr trone, he shall stablysshe them for euer, and they shall be exalted. But yf they be layde in pryson and cheynes, or bounde with the bondes of trou∣ble, then wyll he shewe them theyr worke, and the synnes, wherewith they haue vsed cruell vyolence.

He with punysshynge and nurturyng of [unspec B] them, roundeth them in the eares, warneth them to leaue of from theyr wyckednesse, and to amende. If they nowe wyll take hede & serue hym, they shall weare out theyr dayes in prosperite, and theyr yeres in pleasure and ioye. But yf they wyll not herken, they shall go thorowe the swerde, and perysshe, or euer they be aware. As for suche as be fayned ypo¦crites, they shall heape vp wrathe for them selues: for they call not vpon hym, though they he his prysoners.

Thus shal theyr soule perysshe in folysshnes and theyr lyfe shal be condemned among the fornicatours. The poore shall he delyuer out of his affliccion, and rounde them in the care when they be in trouble. Euen so shal he kepe the (yf thou wylte be contente) from the bot∣tomlesse pyt that is beneth: and yf thou wylt holde the quyete, he shall fyll thy table with plenteousnesse.

Neuerthelesse, thou hast condemned the [unspec C] iudgement of the vngodly, yea euen suche a iudgement, and sentence shalte thou suffre.

For then shall not thy cause be stylled with crueltye, nor pacified with many gyftes.

Thynkest thou, that he wyll regarde thy ry∣chesse? he shall not care for golde, nor for all them that excell in strengthe. Prolonge not thou the tyme, tyll there come a nyght for the to set other people in thy steade. But beware that thou turne not asyde to wyckednesse and synne, whiche hytherto thou hast chosen more then mekenesse. Beholde, god is of a myghty hygh power: Where is suche a gyde and law gyuer as he? Who wyll reproue hym of his waye? Who wyll saye vnto hym: thou haste done wronge.

O consydre howe great and excellent his [unspec D] work{is} be, whom all men loue and prayse: yea wondre at hym, and yet they se hym but a far of. Beholde, so great is God, that he passeth our knowledge, neyther are we able to come to the experience of his yeares. He turneth the water to small droppes. He dryueth his cloudes togyther for to rayne, so that they powre downe and droppe vpon men. He can sprede out the cloudes (a coueryng of his ta∣bernacle) and cause his lyght to shyne vpon them, and to couer the botome of the see. By these thynges gouerneth he his people, and gyueth them aboundaunce of meate. With the cloudes he hydeth the lyghte, and at his cōmaundement it cometh agayne. The ry∣synge vp therof sheweth he to his frendes, and to the cattell.

¶ Elihu proueth that the wysdome of god is vnsearchable.

CAPI. XXXVII.

AT this, my herte is astonyed, & moued [unspec A] out of his place. Heare then the sounde of his voyce, and the noyse that goeth out of his mouth. He gouerneth euery thyng vnder the heuen, and his lyght reacheth vn∣to the ende of the worlde. A roryng voyce fo∣loweth hym: for his glorious maiesty gyueth suche a thondreclap, that (though a man here it) yet may he not perceyue it afterwarde. It gyueth an horryble sounde, when God sen∣deth out his voyce: greate thynges doth he, whiche we can not comprehende. When he commaundeth the snowe, it falleth vpon the carthe. As soone as he gyueth the rayne a charge, immediatly the showres haue theyr strengthe, and fall downe. He sendeth ••••are vpon euery mā, that they myght know theyr owne workes.

The beastes crepe into theyr dennes, and [unspec B] take theyr rest. Out of the south cometh the tempest, & colde out of the north. At the breth of God, the frost cometh, and the waters are shed abrode. He maketh the cloud{is} to do theyr laboure in gyuynge moystnesse, and agayne with his lyght, he dryueth away the cloude.

He distributeth also on euery syde, according as it pleaseth hym to deale oute his workes, that they may do, what soeuer he cōmaūdeth them thorowe the hole worlde: whyther it be to punysshe any lande, or to do good vnto them, that seke hym.

Herken vnto this (O Iob) stande styl, and [unspec C] consydre the wonderous workes of god. Arte thou of counsel with god, when he doth these thynges? When he causeth the lyght to come forth of his cloudes? Arte thou of his counsel when he spredeth out the cloudes? Hast thou the perfyte knowledge of his wonders? and howe thy clothes are warme, when the lande is styl thorowe the South wynde? Hast thou helped hym to spreade out the heuen, whiche is to loke vpon, as it were cast of cleare met∣tall? Teache vs what we shall say vnto hym for we are vnmete bycause of darknesse.

Shall it be tolde hym what I say? Shuld [unspec D] a man speake, or shulde he kepe it backe? For euery man seeth not the lyght, that he kepeth cleare in the cloudes which he clenseth when he maketh the wynde to blowe.

Golde is brought out of the north, but the prayse and honoure of Goddes feare cometh from God hym selfe. It is not we that can fynde out the almyghtye: for in power, equite and ryghteousnes, he is hygher then can be expressed. Let men therfore feare hym, for there shall no man se hym that is wyse in his owne conceyte.

¶ The won••ers and ma••••els that the Eo••de hath done from the begynnynge.

CAPI. XXXVIII.

Then answered the Lorde vnto Iob out [unspec A] of the storme, and sayd: What is he that hydeth his mynde with folysshe word{is}? Gyrde vp thy loynes lyke a man, for I wyl question with the, se thou gyue me a directe answere. Where wast thou, when I layde the foundacions of the earth? Tell playnely, yf thou hast vnderstandynge.

Who hath measured it, knowest thou? Or, who hath spred the lyne vpon it? Whervpon stande the pyllers of it? Or, who layde the cor¦ner stone therof? Where wast thou, when the sterres praysed me togyther, and all the chyl∣dren of god reioysed triumphauntly? Who shut the see with dores, when it brake forthe as a chylde out of the mothers wombe?

When I made the cloudes to be a coueryng for it, and swadled it with the darke? When I gaue it my cōmaundement, makynge dores and barres for it, sayenge.

Hytherto shalte thou come, but no further, [unspec B] and there shalte thou laye downe thy proude and hygh waues. Hast thou gyuen the mor∣ning his charge (assoone as thou wast borne) and shewed the daye spryng his place, that it myght take holde of the corners of the earth, and that the vngodly myght be shaken out? Theyr tokens and weapons are turned lyke clay, and set vp agayne as the chaungyng of a garment. The vngodly shall be disapoyn∣ted of theyr lyght, and the arme of the proude shall be broken. Camest thou euer in to the grounde of the see: or walkedst in the lowe corners of the depe? Haue the gates of death bene opened vnto the, or hast thou sene the do¦res of the shadowe of death? Hast thou also perceyued howe brode the earthe is? If thou hast knowledge of all this, then shewe me, where lyght dwelleth, and where darknes is: that y^u mayst bryng vs vnto theyr quarters, yf thou canst tell the way to theyr houses.

Knewest thou (before thou wast borne) [unspec C] howe olde thou shuldest be? Wentest thou euer in to the treasuries of the snowe, or hast y^u sene the secret places of the hayle, whiche I haue prepared agaynst the tyme of trou∣ble, agaynst the tyme of battayle and warre? By what way is the lyght parted, and in to what lande breaketh the East wynde: Who deuydeth the aboundaunce of waters into ry¦uers, or who maketh a waye for the lyghte∣nynge and thondre, that it watereth & moyst∣neth the drye and bareyne grounde: to make the grasse growe in places where no bodye dwelleth, and in the wyldernes where no mā remayneth? Who is the father of rayne? Or who hath begotten the droppes of dew? Out of whose wombe came theyse? Who hath en¦gendred the coldnesse of the ayre? that the wa¦ters are as harde as stones, and lye congeled aboue the depe. Wylte thou hyndre the swete influences of the seuen sterres? Or arte thou able to breake the circle of heuen? Canst thou [unspec D] brynge forth the mornynge sterre, or the eue∣nynge sterre at cōuentent tyme, & cōuey them home agayne? Knowest thou the course of he¦uen, that thou mayest set vp the ordinaunce therof vpon the earth? Moreouer, canst thou lyfte vp thy voyce to the cloudes, that they may powre downe a great rayne vpon the?

Canst thou thondre also that they may go theyr way, and be obedient vnto the, sayenge: Lo here are we? Who gyueth sure wysdom, or stedfast vnderstandyng? Who nombreth the cloudes in wysdom? Who stylleth the vehe∣ment waters of the heuen? Who turneth the clottes to dust, & then to be clottes agayne? Wylte thou hunte the pray from the lyon, or fede his whelpes lyenge in theyr dennes, and lurkyng in theyr couches? Who prouideth meate for the rauen, when his yong ones crye vnto god, and flye aboute for lacke of meate.

¶ God speaketh vnto Iob shewynge hym by the example of his workes, that his ryghteousnes is vnsearchable.

CAPI XXXIX.

KNowest thou the tyme when the wylde [unspec A] gootes bryng forth theyr yong, among the stony rockes? Or layest thou wayte when the hyndes vse to fawne? rekenest thou the monethes after they engendre, that thou knowest the tyme of theyr bearynge? or when they lye downe, when they cast theyr yonge ones, and when they are delyuered of theyr trauayle and payne? Howe theyr yonge ones growe vp, and waxe great thorowe good fe∣dynge? when they go forth, and returne not agayne vnto them? Who letteth the wylde Asse go free, or whoo lowseth the bondes of the mule? Euen I whiche haue gyuen the wyldernesse to be theyr house, and the vntyl∣led lande to be theyr dwellynge place.

That they may gyue no force for the mul¦titude [unspec B] of people in the cities, neyther regarde the cryenge of the dryuer: but seke theyr pas∣ture aboute the mountaynes, and folowe the grene grasse. Wyl the vnicorne be so tame as to do the seruyce, or to abyde styl by thy cryb? Canst thou bynde the yocke aboute the vni∣corne in thy forowe, to make hym plowe after the in the valleys? Mayst thou trust hym (by cause he is stronge) or commyt thy laboure vnto hym? Mayst thou byleue hym, that he wyll brynge home thy corne, or to carye any thynge vnto thy barne? ❀ Gauest thou the fayre wynges vnto the Pacockes, or wynges and fethers vnto the storke? for he leaueth his egges in the earth & layeth them in the dust. He remembreth not, that they myght be tro∣den with feete, or broken with some wylde beast. So harde is he vnto his yonge ones, as though they were not his, and laboureth in vayne without any feare.

And that bycause god hath taken wysdom [unspec C] from hym, and hath not gyuen hym vnder∣standynge. When his tyme is that he flyeth vp on hygh, he careth neyther for horse nor man. Hast thou gyuen the horse his strength or lerned hym to bowe downe his necke with feare: that he letteth hym selfe be dryuē forth lyke a greshopper, where as the stoute neyng that he maketh is fearfull? he breaketh the grounde with the hoofes of his feete cheare∣fully in his strengthe, and runneth to meete the harnest men. He layeth asyde all feare, his stomake is not abated, neyther starteth he a∣backe for any swerde. Though the quyuers ratle vpon him, though the speare and shelde glystre: yet russheth he in fearsly, and beateth vpon the grounde. He feareth not the noyse [unspec D] of the trompettes, but as soone as he heareth the shawlmes blowe, tusshe (sayth he) for he smelleth the battayle a farre of, the noyse of the captaynes and the shoutynge.

Cometh it thorowe thy wysdome, that the Goshauke flyeth towarde the South? Doth the Egle mounte vp, and make his nest on hygh at thy cōmaundement? He abydeth in the stony rockes, and vpon the hygh toppes of harde mountaynes, where no mā can come from thence seketh he his praye, and loketh farre aboute with his eyes. His yonge ones are fed with bloode: and where any deade body lyeth, there is he immediatly.

¶ Iob humbleth hym selfe vnto god. The descryptyon of Behemoth, and Leuiathan.

CAPI. XL.

MOreouer the lorde spake vnto Iob, and [unspec A] sayde: Can he that stryueth with the al∣myghtie, be at rest? Sulde not he which dysputeth with God, gyue hym an answere? Iob answered the Lorde, saynge. Beholde, I am to vyle a persone, to answere the, therfore wyll I lay my hande vpon my mouth. Once or twyse haue I spoken, but I wyll saye no more. Then answered the lorde vnto Iob out of the storme, and sayde: Gyrde vp thy loy∣nes nowe lyke a man, and tell me the thyng{is} that I wyll aske the. Wylte thou disanul my iudgement? Or wylt thou condemne me, that thou thy selfe mayst be made ryghteous? Is thy power then lyke the power of God? Ma∣keth thy voyce suche a sounde as his dothe? Then arme thy selfe with thyne owne power [unspec B] vp, decke the in thy ioly araye, powre out the indignacion of thy wrathe: se that thou caste downe all the proude, loke wel, that thou ma∣kest all suche as be stubburne, to obey: treade downe all the vngodly in theyr place, caste them downe into the dust, & couer theyr faces with darkenes: Then wyll I cōfesse vnto the also, that thyne owne ryght hande shall saue the. Beholde, ☞ the beast Behemoth (whom I made with the) whiche eateth haye as an oxe: Lo, howe stronge is he in his loynes, and what power he hath in the nauel of his body? He spredeth out his tayle lyke a Cedre tre, all [unspec C] his vaynes are styffe. His shynnes are lyke pipes of brasse, his ryg bones are lyke staues of yron. Fyrst, when God made hym, he ordey¦ned the wyldernesse for hym, that the moun∣taynes shulde gyue hym grasse, where all the beastes of the felde take theyr pastyme. He lyeth amonge the reedes in the Mosses, the fennes hyde hym with theyr shadowe, & the wyllowes of the broke couer hym rounde a∣boute. Lo, without any labour myght he drynke out of the hole floode and sup of Ior∣dane without any trauayle.

Who dare laye hande vpon hym openly, and vndertake to catche hym? Or, who dare put an hoke thorowe his nose, and say a snare for hym? Darest thou drawe out ☞ Leuia∣thā with an angle, or bynde his tongue with a snare? Canst thou put a rynge in the nose of [unspec D] hym, or bore his iawe thorowe with a nayle? Wyll he make many fayre wordes with the (thynkest thou) or flatter the? Wyll he make a couenaunte with the? Or arte thou able to compell hym to do the contynuall seruyce?

Wylte thou take thy pastyme with hym, as with a byrde, or gyue hym vnto thy may∣dens, that thy companyons maye make a ••e∣feccion of hym, or that he maye be parted a∣monge the merchaūt men. Canst thou fyl the basket with his skyn, or the fysshe panyer w^t his head? Darest thou lay hande vpon hym?

It is better for the to consydre what harme myght happen the therthorowe, and not to touche hym. For when thou thynkest to haue holde vpon hym, he shall begyle the.

¶ Of the same Leuiathan whiche is me••••••oned in the Chapiter before.

CAPI. XLI.

NO man is so cruell, that is able to styrre [unspec A] hym vp. Who is able to stande before me? Or who hath gyuen me any thing before hande, that I maye rewarde hym a∣gayne? All thynges vnder heuen are myne. I fere hym not, whither he threaten or speake fayre. Who lifteth hym vp, and strypeth hym out of his clothes, or who taketh hym by the byt of his brydle? Who openeth the dore of his face? for he hath horryble teeth rounde a∣boute. [unspec B] His body is couered with scales as it were with sheldes locked in, kepte, and well compacte togyther.

One is so ioyned to an other, that no ayre can come in: Yea, one hangeth so vpon an other, and stycketh so togyther, that they can not be sundred. His nesyng is lyke a glystryng fyre, and his eyes lyke the mornyng shyne. Out of his mouth go torches, & out of his nose thyr∣les there goth a smoke, lyke as out of an hote sethynge pot. His breth maketh the cooles burne, and the flambe goth out of his mouth In his necke remayneth strength, & nothyng is to laborous for hym.

The membres of his body are ioyned so [unspec C] strayte one to an other, and cleue so fast to∣gyther, that he can not be moued. His herte is as harde as a stone, and as ••••st as the sty∣thye that the smyth smyteth vpon. When he goth, the myghtie are afrayde, and feare trou¦bleth them. If any man drawe out a swerde at hym, it shall not hurte hym: there may ney∣ther speare, iauelyn, nor brest plate, abide him He setteth as moche by a strawe as by yron, and as moche by a rotten stocke as by brasse.

He statteth not away for hym that bendeth [unspec D] the bowe: and as for slynge stones, he careth as moch for stubble as for them. He counteth the dart{is} no better then a strawe, he laugheth hym to scorne that shaketh the speare. He ••rea deth the golde in the myre lyke the sharpe pot shardes. He maketh the depe to boyle lyke a pot, and styrreth the see togither lyke an oynt¦ment. He maketh a path to be sent after hym, the depe is his walkynge place. Upon earth is there no power lyke vnto his, for he is so made that he feareth not. If a man wyll con∣syder all hygh thynges, this same is a kynge ouer all the chyldren of pryde.

¶ The repentaunce of Iob. He prayeth for his frendes, and his goodes are restored to hym double.

CAPI XLII.

THen Iob answered the Lorde, and sayd: [unspec A] I knowe that thou hast power ouer all thyng{is}, and that there is no thought hyd from the. For who can kepe his owne counsell so secrete, but it shall be knowen? Therfore haue I spoken that I vnderstode not, the thynges that are so hygh, and passe myne vnderstandynge. O herken thou vnto me also, and let me speake: answere vnto the thynge that I wyll aske the. I haue gyuen diligent eare vnto the, and nowe I se the with myne eyes. Wherfore I gyue myne owne self the blame, and take repentaunce in the duste and asshes.

Nowe when the Lorde had spoken these [unspec B] wordes vnto Iob, it fortuned, that the Lorde sayde vnto Eliphas the Themanite: I am displeased with the, and thy two frendes, for ye haue not spoken of me the thynge that is ryght, lyke as my seruaunt Iob hath done. Therfore take ye nowe seuen oxen and seuen rammes, and go to my seruaunt Iob, and offre vp for your selues a burnt offerynge: and my seruaunt Iob shal pray for you. Hym wyll I accepte, and not deale with you after your folysshnesse: in that ye haue not spoken the thynge whiche is ryghte, lyke as my ser∣uaunt Iob hath done.

So Eliphas the Themanite, and Bildad [unspec C] the Suhite and Sophar the Naamathite went theyr waye, and dyd accordynge as the Lorde cōmaunded them. The lorde also ac∣cepted the persone of Iob, & the lorde turned the captiuite of Iob, when he prayed for his frendes: Yea the Lorde gaue Iob twyse as moche as he had before. And then came there vnto hym all his brethren, all his systers, and all they that had bene of his acquayneaunce before, and dyd eate breade with hym in his house, wondrynge at hym, and confortynge hym ouer all the trouble, that the Lorde had brought vpon hym. Euery man also gaue hym a certayne summe of money, and a Iuel of golde.

And the Lorde made Iob rycher then he [unspec D] was before: for he had fourtene thousande shepe, syx thousand camels, a thousand yocke of Oxen, and a thousande asses.

He had seuen sonnes also and thre dough¦ters. The fyrst doughter called he ☞ Iemi∣ma: the seconde Kezta: and the thyrde Keren∣hapuch. In all the lande were no women founde so fayre, as the doughters of Iob, & theyr father gaue them enheritaunce among theyr brethren. After this lyued Iob an hun∣dred and fourtye yere, so that he sawe his chyldren, and his chyldrens chyldren into the fourth generacion. And so Iob dyed, beynge olde and of a perfyte age.

❧ The ende of the boke of Iob.

Notes

• Deute. xi. c.
• Iesua. iii. b
• Hebru. 13. b
• Deut. 31. f. 3. Regū ii. a
• Deute. v. d
• Deut. 17. d.
• Num. 32. d.
• Deute. v. ••. Iere. xlii. a.
• Hebru. xi. c. Iacob. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. d
• Iosua. v. ••••
• Deut. ••8 a. Iosua. v. a
• Exod xiiii c
• Nu. 21. f. g.
• Deute. x. d.
• Iosna. vi. c
• i. Regū. 19 c Actes. ix. d
• •• xuiii. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Nume. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 i. Re. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Iosua ••••••••
• Iosua. ••••
• Actes. vii. ••
• Eccle. 24. d
• Psal. 66. b.
• Deut. 27. 8
• Deut. 27. a
• ••••••••. 18. f.
• Num. 32. c.
• Iosua iii. ••
• Exodi. xii. ••
• Exodi. 14. ••
• Iosua. ii. b.
• Exodi iiii. f
• Num. 14. f.
• Nume. ••3. d
• Exodi. xi. a.
• Exod. 17. ••.
• Exodi. iii Actes, vii. ••
• Iosua. ii. a.
• Hebrue. xi. f
• Hebrue. xi. f
• Iosua. i••. r.
• Hebrue. ••i. ••
• 3. Reg 16. ••
• Deut. vii. d and, xiii. d
• Iosua. 22. d i. Para ••i a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. mach. 12 ••
• Psal. xxii. ••
• Dente, ix. ••
• Exod. xix. a
• Deut. vii ••
• Iosua vi ••
• Deute. ••••••
• Iosua. vi. c
• Nume. 35. d Deute. xx. ••
• Deut. xix. d
• Iosua. 7. d
• Deut. 27. a
• Deut. 27. a
• ‡

  Exodi xx ••
• ••. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. a
• Nume. 21. ••
• 3. Re. xxi. a
• Deut. 29. ••.
• Iosua. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and. vi••••
• E••l. xivi. a
• Iosua. ••. ••.
• D••ut••. xx. d
• Iosua v••. d
• Deute. xx. d
• Exodi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and, 34. •• Deute. 7••
• Deute. ••••
• ••i. Reg. 22. a
• Num. ••9. f.
• Num. 2••. ••. Deute. iii. a
• Nume. 21. f.
• Nume. 32. f and. 33. c. Iosua 13. b Deut. ••i••. b.
• Iosua. vi. a
• Iosua. 8. a.
• Iosua. 8. a.
• Nume. 32. f Deut••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b
• Nume. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Nume. 31. a
• Nume. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••
• Iosua. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Num. ••4▪ ••
• Nume. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xxxiii. ••
• Gen••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• Nume. 35 a
• Nume. 14. d
• Nume. 13. a
• Num. 14. d Deute. ••. ••.
• Eccl. xlvi. b
• Iosua. xv. c
• ••••••. 34. ••
• ••••••. Reg. ••. ••
• Iosua. 14 ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. Regū. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• Nam. 26. d. iivii. ••. and iiivi. a
• Num. 27 d ••. xxxvi. ••.
• Io••ua 〈◊〉〈◊〉.D and. xiiii. a.
• Iosua. x. i. ••
• Other∣wyse called be citye of ••he Sonne.
• ••ud xviii ••
• Iosua. 24 ••
• Num, 34. d
• Nume. ••5 a Deut. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Nume. 35 ••
• Iosua. 7 a.
• Gene. 31. g. Iosua. 24, f
• Deute. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 B
• Deut. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• &. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• Prouer. ••
• Deut. 3•• ••
• Num. 33. g
• Iosua. 21. d
• Gene. xi. d
• Gene. xxi. a Math. i a
• Gene. 31. a.
• Exodi. vii. viii. ix. x. and. xiiii.
• Exodi. 14. ••
• Num. 21. d
• Nume. 22 a Deut. 23. a.
• Deut. vii. ••
• •• Regū. 7. a ••ohn, 14 ••.
• Iosua. 23. d
• •• Reg. 23. a
• ••. Regū. 7. d
• ••••••••. 31. ••. Iosua. 22 ••
• Iosua. 19 b
• ii. Pa. 34. ••
• Gene. •• d Exod. xiil. d
• Gene. 33. d.
• Iosua. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉 Iudi x••. ••
• Dru••••. ••••••
• Iosu〈…〉〈…〉
• Iosua. 4. a Deut. 34. a
• Nume. 2•• a
• Iosua. 14 b
• Nume. 13. ••
• Iosua. xv g
• Iosu. xvi a
• Iosua. ii. ••.
• Iosua. 17. c
• Iosua. 16 d
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. vii. •• and. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• A place of such as wepe.
• Iosua. 24 ••
• Iosua. ••4 ••
• Iudi. iiii. a.
• Exodi. ii. d.
• Iudi. iii. b
• Deute. 13. a
• Deut. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• ii. Pe. xvi
• 2. Reg. 3. e.
• Num••. x a.
• Deute. ii. b.
• ••••dis•• •• ••
• Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••▪
• Nume. ••. ••.
• Iudi. v. d.
• Deut. iiii. b
• Psal. 97. ••
• Iudi. iii d
• Iudi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Iudi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Iudi▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Iudi. iiii. c.
• Iudi. iiii. d.
• Iosua. 4. ••
• ••. Re. ••7. ••. Iere. ••. ••.
• 3. Reg. 18. f
• Exodi. 33 d Iudi. xiii. d
• Nume. x. a.
• Iudi viii. ••
• Gene. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••.
• Iudi. ••. ••.
• Deui. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 i. Ma••••. ••
• i. Regū 14 •• 11. Pa. xx. ••.
• 3. Reg. 12. f.
• Exo vi. 3••••
• Ezech. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and. xx. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ii. Pa. xxi. a
• ••. Eid. 4. b
• Gene. 34. ••
• Iudi, vii. ••.
• ••i. 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••. 〈…〉〈…〉 ••. Pe•••• ••••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• Deut. 32. c. I••••e. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• D••••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Num••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Nume. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Deute. ii. ••▪
• Nume. 22 a Deut. 23. a.
• Nume. vi a
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• Iob. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Psal. ••••••
• Iu••••. x. d.
• Iudi. x. b
• Nume. vi a
• 1. Regū. i. b.
• Nume. vi a
• ••••••. 16. ••. ••uke. i. ••.
• Cobi. xii. ••
• Gene. 18. •• Cobi. xii. b.
• Gene. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Exodi. 3••. d Iudi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Deut. vii. a
• ••••••••••••. 24. •• Iudi. i. b
• Other∣wyse called Ga••a.
• Nume. vi a Iudi. xiii. a
• Or ••aza
• I••di. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• and. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••
• Iudi. 17. b.
• Ios••a 19 b
• Num. 13. ••
• ••••sus 19. ••
• I••di. 1••. s.
• Gene. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••
• Gene. 19. b.
• Iosua. 2•• ••
• ••••ne. 31. c
• ••••••••. ••. •• and, xviii. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 33. a.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. v. b.
• Tobi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Leuiti. 25. b Iere. 32. b
• Deute. 25. b
• ••••••••. 〈…〉〈…〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. vi. ••.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 23. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 16. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••••ii. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. vi b
• Psal. x••ii. ••
• Deute. 32. f
• Psal. ••3. b.
• Deute. ••. d.
• ••••••••▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• •••••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••▪
• ••. Reg. ••2. d.
• ••. Reg. ii. g.
• ••. Regū. 4. c
• ••▪ Regū. ii. ••
• Ruth. ••▪ ••
• ••. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• Iudi. ••3. ••.
• ••. Reg••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. g
• ••. Reg••. 3. a
• The glo∣ry is gone.
• Or ••z••.
• ii. Reg. vi. ••
• ••••tes xiii. d
• Gene. 35. ••
• i. Reg. vi. a i. Par. ••8. ••
• i. Reg. 13. b
• i. Reg. xi. b.
• i. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• i. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and x••••. ••
• i. Reg. ••••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
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• 1 Reg. xv. a
• Eccle. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• A••tes. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• Gene. 4••. •• E••odi 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• Exodi. iii. ••
• Iudi iii••. ••.
• Iudi. xiii. a
• Iudi iii. b.
• Iudi. xiil. d
• ‡

  Iudi. xi a
• 1. Reg. vii. b
• i. Regū. ••. ••
• Ero 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 34 b Deuit. ••x. ••. ••••sua. 7. b.
• Esay. ••••
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• ••••a. 14. ••.
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• ••cuit vii c and. xix. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
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• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 17 d
• 〈…〉〈…〉 d
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xi, c
• Num. 24. b
• ••ina, vi. a
• i. Regū. ix. •• and. x. ••.
• Erodi. 2•• •• Deu. ••8 b.
• 1. Regū. 7. d
• 3. Regū. ii, c
• Nume. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 d Iosua. ii••. b and. vii c
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. x••. d
• Iosua. 1••. ••.
• Iud••. 14. d. ••eb••ue. xi ••
• Eccle 47. a
• Iub••. v••••••
• 1. Reg. 14. ••
• 1. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• ••••. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• ••. Regū, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• ••••di. ••ii. ••. Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• Iosua. ii c Actes. ix. d.
• i. Regū. ix. c
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• i Regū ii. Reg.
• i. Regū 25 ••udi. vi••
• Leuit. 24. b Math. xii a
• 1. Reg. 1••. b. and. xxix. c.
• 1. Regū 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• and. xx. d
• ••. Regū 30 ••
• 1. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••▪ and. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b
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• ••. Reg••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• •• Reg•• ••4 d
• •• Reg•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• Exodi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Leuit. x••••. ••
• i. Reg. xv. f.
• i Regū. 31. a
• Iudi xii. •• i. Reg. xix. •• Psal. ••xix.
• i Reg. 〈…〉〈…〉 and. ••••••••
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• ••rouer. 25 c
• Iosua. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 t
• •• Para. ••. ••
• Iudi. ix ••. ••. Para. x. a
• ••. Para. x. ••
• ii. Regū. ii d
• ••••••••. 34. a
• i Regū. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• ii. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and x••••••.
• Math. ••i••. c ••he, xix. d
• ••••••he. i. e
• ••. Reg. 23. a Regū. 5. ••
• i. Regū. 31. e
• ••••. Reg. ••. ••
• Gene. 24. ••.
• •• Regū. xx c
• ••. Reg. xx. ••
• 1. Par. iii. c
• 1. Regū. ••••••
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• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 〈…〉〈…〉. b
• 〈…〉〈…〉
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• 11. Regū. ••••
• ii. Reg. iii. f
• i. Para. x. a
• ii. Reg. ii. ••.
• Leuit. xx••. d
• i. Pat. ii••. ••
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• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1••. a
• 1. Reg. xvi▪
• 11. Reg. v. a Psal. 132. d
• ••••bru••. i b.
• 111. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• Psal. 89. d.
• Iere. 33. ••
• Deut. vii. ••
• Deut. iiii. a
• Exodi. 14. d
• Deui••. ••••
• Num. ••••
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• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••4. b
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• 1 Reg. 4. b
• Micha.
• 11. Reg. ••. ••
• •• Par. xx. a
• Exodi. i•• ••
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• ii. Reg. ••••••
• Iudi. 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••••di. ix. ••
• ••. Regū xx. f
• ••••••di. 22. ••
• i Regū 16 ••
• Deuit. ••8. ••
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• Eccle. 38. ••.
• p••ateable
• mata. 1. a 1. Pat. iii. b
• Beloued of the lorde
• 1. Par. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b
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• E••••te. 3••. c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xx•• viii
• ••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. b and. iii. f.
• Deut. ••i••. ••
• 1. Reg. 14. ••
• ••••. Reg. xi. b
• ••. Re. xv. ••.
• •• Re. xvi. d and. ix. a
• •• Reg. 18. b
• i Regū. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• ii. Reg. xvii a, b, c.
• ••••••. xvii. d
• ••••. Reg. ix. b
• ii. Re. xix. ••
• Exobi. 22. d
• 3. Regū. ii ••
• •••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• •••• Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• and. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 17 b
• Esai. xix. ••.
• •• Reg. xv. g
• ••••. Reg. x••. ••
• ••••. Reg. x•••• •• 3. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• ••••. Reg. 16. d
• ••. Reg 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••▪
• ••••. Re•• x••••. ••
• ••••. R••••. ••6 .••
• ••••. ••e. 57. g.
• ii Reg•••• and. ••••••••
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 27••
• ••••gū. ii f
• Reg. ii. g
• 11. Reg. ii. g.
• •• Reg. 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••. 〈…〉〈…〉 〈…〉〈…〉
• 2 Regū. 23 c
• i. Pa. xxi. a
• Psel. ••••••
• Roma 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••sel. 144 a
• ii. Reg. 7▪ ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• i. Pat▪ xii. ••
• ii. Reg. xxi d
• Exodi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Iosua. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉di▪ 21. b
• 〈…〉〈…〉 ••▪ •• 〈…〉〈…〉▪ ix••••••. b 〈…〉〈…〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Regst. ix ••
• Reg. iii. c 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xx. ••.
• ii. Reg xix. ••
• ii. Re. xvi. ••
• Actes. ii. c
• ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈…〉〈…〉
• i. Reg▪ 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• ••. Par. i. a
• ••. Pata. i. a
• ••••pi. ix. a.
• ••••pi. ix. b.
• 3. Re. xv. a.
• ••. Pata. i. b
• Luke. vii ••
• iii. Reg v. d
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 72 ••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 27. d.
• Eccle. 47. b
• 11. Reg. ••. ••.
• 11. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 11. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••••. Reg. 4. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉. iii. a
• 〈…〉〈…〉. vii. f
• 〈…〉〈…〉. x. e 〈…〉〈…〉. b. and. b. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• Exodi. 25. b
• Exodi. 25. b
• iii. ••e. iii. ••
• ••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Exod. ii ••
• I•••••• iii •• ••. Pe••. iii. 4. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••••
• •• ••••ed fast 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• ••it••••gth.
• ii. Par. 4. a
• ••••. Par. v. a
• ii Reg. vi. d
• Deute. ••. a.
• Leuit. 1••. a
• ii. Reg. vii. i Para. vi. ••
• 1. Reg. 16. ••
• ii P••••. v•• ••
• ii. Regū ••••
• Esai▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ •• A••te••▪ ••••••
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• 〈…〉〈…〉. vi. d
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 17. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 〈…〉〈…〉 vi••i. ••
• Dani. vi. ••.
• 1. 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 1. Esdr••. ••. d
• Exod. ••i••. a
• 11. Par. 7. ••
• •• Reg.ili. d.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 7.a
• Den••t. 16. c
• ••••. Para. 7 ••
• iii. Reg. ••••
• 4 Reg. •• Iere. ••••
• •••••••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Iere. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• •••• P••••••
• •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••5. ••.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ii d 〈◊〉〈◊〉 i••. ••
• 3. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• iii. Reg. 7. ••
• Deut. 17. b
• ••••. Pat. ix. f
• 11. Pat. ••. d.
• 111. Re. ••i••. a
• Exod. ••4. b
• Deut. ••7. d.
• 111 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. vii. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xii. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 132, b
• 11. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. x. ••
• 111 Re. xii. ••••
• •••• Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• •••• R•••• ••x. a.
• ••••. Pat. x. d.
• ••••. Pat. xi. a
• Iudi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Erod••. 47 Exodi. ••••
• Erodi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••••od••. ••. b. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 23. b. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••iii. c
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• ••. Reg. 23 d
• •• Regū. xi. ••
• 3 Regū▪ 12 ••
• 1. Reg. xv. ••
• iii Re. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉. d
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 1 Reg. xii. a
• ••i. Par. 14. ••
• 3. Reg. 22. ••
• ••••. Par. 15 ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 5 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••••. Pa. 17 a Math. ••. b
• ••il. Re. 14. a
• 3. Reg. 14. •• and ••••x••. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••. Re••••▪ ••▪ ••
• ••. Reg. x. d.
• Iosua. vi. d
• Iosua. vi. d
• 3. Reg••. 8 ••
• Deute. ••i. •• 3 Reg••i. 8. d Iacob. v. d
• Luke. ii••••. ••.
• Iude. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• 4. Reg. 4. f Actes. xx. c
• Deute. xi. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉. v. c
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• ••••th. vi. a
• ••. Reg. ••4. c.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4. b.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 32. f.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. vi. d 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4••. a Math. i. c
• ••. Reg••. ••. ••
• Iona. iiii. ••
• Exodi. 34 •• Math. 4. a.
• Roma. xi. a
• Eccle. 48. a
• ••. Reg. ••. d
• 4. Reg. ix. b
• R••ma. xi. ••
• ••••••••. ix. ••
• 3. Regū. 13 ••
• ••. Regsi. ••. ••
• Actes. 7. ••
• 3. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••.
• 4. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• O••••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. ••••••••
• ••••••. xxi. ••.
• ••••••. 37. g
• ••••••••. 18 a
• ••. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Regū. ii. a
• Regū. ••8 ••
• •••• P••••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••, ••, ••, ••.
• ••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• Iere. 14, ••
• 3. Reg. 21, f.
• ii, 〈…〉〈…〉
• iii. 〈…〉〈…〉.
• ••ath. iii. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
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• Eccle. 4••. a
• •••• 22. ••.
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• 4. Reg. ••
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• 111. Re••••▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
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• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 32. f
• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 4. Reg. 4. d
• 4. Re. xv a. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Pa. 16. a
• •••• Pat. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• ••••••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••
• ••••••••. 26. d 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 28. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 4 ••
• ••••••••. 19. ••
• Rig. 7. ••
• Math. b. a Esar. 13. ••.
• 4. Re. vii. ••
• 4. Reg. 7. a
• 4. Reg. 4. a
• ••. Reg. xix. ••
• ••i••. Re. 14. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• 3. Reg. 19. ••
• 3. Reg. xxi. ••
• 4. Reg. 29. f
• 4. Regū. ••••
• 3. Re. xvi. g
• 1. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Iosue. ••••
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 21. ••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 35. a
• •• Reg. 16 g
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 4. Regū. ••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 24. ••
• Deut. 17. d
• ii Par. 23. d
• ii. Pat. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••
• Re. xxii▪ a
• 4. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 4. Reg. ii. ••
• Eccle. 48. a
• ii. Pa. 25. a.
• 4 Reg▪ xii. v
• Deut. 24. •• 11. Par. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xx••. •• Ezech. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• ii. Par. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••▪
• Iudi. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. 4 Esdr. 4 ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Pa. 26. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉 Reg. 16. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉 i. a.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Reg. 13. d 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. ••.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••iii••. 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Pa. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• 4. Reg. ••. ••.
• ii. Pa. ••9. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 4. 〈…〉〈…〉.
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• Esa••. ••. ••
• ••. ••e••. 7. d
• ••. Reg. ••8. ••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉. ••3. ••
• Deut. 〈…〉〈…〉. ••.
• Iere. xxv. ••
• Deute. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• Ma••. 〈…〉〈…〉
• ••. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Deute. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• 3. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Gens. 32. e.
• Iudi. vi. b I••••e. x. ••.
• ii. De. 19. ••
• Deuit. 7. •• 4. Reg. ••3. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• 4. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Par. 22 a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••6. a. En••r. 48. a
• •• Reg. xii d
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 36. a. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ ••9. ••
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 32. ••
• •••••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• Esai. 37. ••.
• Esal. 37. ••
• Pa. 32. d.
• 〈…〉〈…〉 Math. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈…〉〈…〉
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• ••••••••. ••d
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• Leuit. xx. d. Drute. 18. b. ••. Reg. 16 a
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• ••. Re. x••••i. ••
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• 3. Regū 8. •• Iohn in. c Actes. viii. ••
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• ••. Reg. ix. b
• Exodi. 23. •• Deute. 16. ••
• •• Pat. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
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• 3. Reg••. x. ••
• 3. Reg. 4. ••.
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• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Re. xi. g.
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• ••. Re. xxii. •• Esai. vi. a
• ii. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Re. •• Iob. xii. d Ezech. 14. ••
• ••••m••. ii. b ••••tt••. ••. •• Eph••. vi. b. 〈…〉〈…〉. iii. d
• ii. Pa••. v••.
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• 4. Reg. ••. ••.
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• Exodi. 27 ••
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• 〈…〉〈…〉. 30. b
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• Deut. 24. c 4 Re. xiiii. b Iere. xxxi. ••. Ezech. 1••. c.
• •• Re. xiiii. b
• 4 Re. xiiii. ••
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• 〈…〉〈…〉. c.
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• 〈…〉〈…〉. d
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• ••. Pa. xxv. a
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• 2. Par. 14••
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• 4. Reg. 1••. •• Esai. 36. •• Eccle. 48. ••
• 4. Reg. vi. ••
• Ia••. xvii. ••
• 4. Re. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• 4 Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xix. g
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• Deut. viii a
• ••. Re. 〈…〉〈…〉
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• ii. Re. vi••. b ••. Re. viii. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Pa. vi. a and. vii. c.
• ••••. ••a. ••4. a ••••d. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• 4. Reg. 〈…〉〈…〉.
• 4 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• ••••. xx••i. b
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• ••••••••. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• ••••••••. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉 24. ••.
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• Iere. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. a••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• ii. Pa. 36. d
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• 2. Es••••. ii. ••
• •• ••e. 17. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• ••. E••g. ii. ••.
• Exodi. 28. ••
• ii. Esd••. 8. •• 3 Esd••. v ••
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• ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
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• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. ••
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• ••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b.
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• •• E••••••. 8. c
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b •• 〈…〉〈…〉. 33. b •• 〈…〉〈…〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 b
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• 3. Esdr. 8. ••
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• 4. Reg. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• E••o••••. x••. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xxiiii. a 〈…〉〈…〉 vii. b
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• •• 〈…〉〈…〉. ••
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• ••. E••o••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
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• Deute 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• 4. Ro. 23. ••
• ••. Esdr. ix g
• 〈…〉〈…〉 23. f. ••••••m. 29. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Mata, i. c
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• ‡

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• Exodi. 16, d
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• Exodi. 32. a
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• ii Esdr. Exodi 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• and .34. ••.
• Res. 24 f ••ard. ••.
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• ••. Par••. x. b
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• i. Pa••. ••3. ••
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• Num. 23. ••▪
• ••. Es••ra. v. ••.
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• February.
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• ••. P••••. v. ••
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• 〈…〉〈…〉. ii. d 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••iii. d
• Iob, i, d
• 〈…〉〈…〉. xx. d
• ••ob••. ii. d Iob. ii. c
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• i••. P••••. ii. b.
• Psal. 37. ••.
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• Heb 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Apo••a. iii. d Proue▪ iii b
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• ••••u••e. 2•• ••
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• Dente. 32. ••
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• Psal. 114. •• Iob. ii••i. •• ix. ••. ••xxv. a Roma. iii. ••
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• Eccle••••. ••. ••
• ‡

  I••••••••. ••. ••.
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• 〈…〉〈…〉. ••. ••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• i. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈…〉〈…〉 Ier••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. Psal. vii. ••. Roma. ••. ••
• ••••p••. iii. ••.
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• ••••••••. ••xii. ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. i••i. b ▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••▪ ••
• ii. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1••. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 14. ••
• ••••••••. xii. a. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. x. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉
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• Psal. ••••
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• Iob. ••i••. a 〈…〉〈…〉
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• 〈…〉〈…〉. 47. b
• 〈…〉〈…〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b
• Iob. 〈…〉〈…〉 •• ii. 〈…〉〈…〉. ii. ••.
• Gene. iii••. ••
• Psal. vii. d. Esai. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. a
• 3. Reg. 22. d Math. 14 ••
• Abacu•• c. ••. ••
• Iob. ••. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Psal. 38. ••
• Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Iob. 27. ••
• Psal. 73. ••. I••••. x••••. ••.
• Esa••. v. ••
• E••ob••. v. ••.
• Psal. ••. ••.
• 〈…〉〈…〉 ii. ••. Mat. x••••••. d
• Eccle. 23. ••. Ezeche. ix. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉. ••.
• Sapi. iii. a 1. Peter. 1. b
• Deute. xix c and. xxvii. c
• Exodi. 22 c
• Apor••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉. x••••
• Luke. 22 ••.
• Iob. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. i••. a Psal. 143. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 iii. c
• •••••••• ••, ••••
• Iob. 38. a Psal. ••iiii b Iu••mi. ••. ••
• ••••••••. viii. ••
• Iob. xx. d
• Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ •• Luke. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Deut. viii••
• 〈…〉〈…〉. ii. a ••••••te. vii. c. Iames. i. a. 3. ••••••sr. 3. •• ••••d. ••u••. d
• Sapi. vii. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉. i. ••. Ps••l. ••xi. ••. P••o••••••. i. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ix. ••
• ••••••••••. 1••. ••
• ••••••••. iii. •• Psal. 69. ••
• Eccle. ••li. •• Math. ••. ••.
• Iob. ••4 •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. ••
• Psal. vii. ••
• 〈…〉〈…〉 ••
• Deutt. 4. t. and. ••vit. b. Sapi. xiii. a
• Pro. xvii. a
• Eccle. 3•• ••.
• 3. Reg. i••••. •• and. ••il. d Ge•••••• vii. •• Iacob. ••. a. Proue. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Dan••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• Galat. ••. ••
• Gene. ii. b
• Iob. xiii. d.
• Gene. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••. ••••d ••••v•••• •• Daniel. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• 〈…〉〈…〉. ii. d.
• Iob. xii. ••
• Mat. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. d Roma. 11. b
• Roma. iii. ••
• Gene. iii. d. Psal. 146 ••
• ii. Par. 30. •• Roma. ii. d. Ephe. vi. b. Collos 〈◊〉〈◊〉. d Eccle. 35. ••.
• Iob. xxxi. ••. Proue. v. d
• Esai. i. ••.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••i. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xxviii.
• Psal. 147••
• Iob. xi. ••.
• Iob. xxvi. a Ieremi. v. •• Psal. ••••iii b
• Exodi. ix e. Iosua. x. c
• Psal. 147b
• Math. ••4. ••
• Iob. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Esai 2•• ••. Psal. 7•• ••.
• Ier•••••• ••. ••.
• Rom••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Esai. 28. •• ••. Regū. 19 b
• Math. ••. ••. Marke. d••
• Gene. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Math. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• ••••••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Tobi. 14. •• Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••